Condition
by Mindige0
Summary: MPREG!Where male pregnancy is a condition from birth.  Clark wasn't born a Kent, so follow the life of Clark McBride...and how he became a Kent and where Lex Luthor meets the husband of his dreams.
1. Act I:  In which we meet the players

Condition

by Mindige0

Disclamer: I don't own them, nor do I make any money off of them. That would make me a seriously rich woman, now wouldn't it?

Author's Note: Some may recoginze this story from my site, it's only taken me how many years to post? So no, I didn't rip off the idea, I created it!

**_Act I: In which we meet the players_**

"Come on bro, it will be the party of the year!"

"Scott, I said I don't want to go. Why can't you leave it at that?"

"Cause you just gotta come"

"No, I don't gotta *do* anything"

"Don't make me tell mom and dad that it was you who broke the vase that Grandma gave them." Scott said with a smirk on his face.

"But I didn't break it, you did and you know good and well you did."

"They don't know that, so who do you think they will believe more?" Scott said watching the other person's face for cracking under the pressure.

"Fine"

"You, my brother, are the best."

"Tell that to mom and dad" Was said to a retreating back in a whisper.

"Crap, Clark what have you gotten yourself into?" Clark asked a now empty room.

"Whatever it is, I have a feeling it won't be good" Clark said before leaving the room to get ready for the last day of school. A few hours later found Clark and Scott sitting at the dining room table, trying to sell their parents on the party that was being held for the graduating seniors of Vanguard Preparatory School by Pete Ross.

"Come on mom and dad, this might be the last time that I see some of these guys for years." Scott whined to his parents while Clark sat next to him hoping that his parents wouldn't include him in the discussion as Scott was so sure they would.

"We understand that Scott, but you also have to understand why we are uncomfortable allowing you out." Scott McBride, Sr. said to his son.

"Yeah" Scott said in a dejected tone.

"How about we let you go on one condition" Jessica McBride said looking at her son and husband for a compromise.

"Anything mom" Scott said perking up at the idea of what his mother had in store.

"You take Clark with you"

"Sure, no problem right Clark?" Scott said winking to his little brother who he had blackmailed into going anyway.

"Sure, great" Clark said with such sarcasm.

"Well, there you have it" Scott crowed to his parents before he ran out of the room to call Pete to tell him that things were a go.

"Now Clark" Jessica started in a condescending tone.

"Mom" Clark said not looking up from the perusal of the back of his hands.

"I want you to follow your brother's instructions while you are at the party, is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am" Clark said. Before getting up to leave, he was stopped by his father speaking.

"Clark, see this as an opportunity to make new friends and meet new people. Lord knows you need to meet more people than those farmer people you hang out with"

"Dad" Clark said before he was cut off by his father again.

"Just try" was said in an exasperated voice.

"I will, but I like my 4H friends just fine" Clark said before leaving the room before his father or mother could speak. As Clark made his way to his room, his brother stopped him in the hallway upstairs.

"Now to lay down a few ground rules"

"Yeah, I don't want to go in the first place" Clark said defensively.

"I know that, but I refuse to have you being the major freak that you are at this party, got that?" Scott said with a vicious tone.

"Got it" Clark said with a sigh, if only he hadn't been born a McBride he wouldn't be having these issues. Issues he would still have, but not these particular ones.

"First of all, the flannel will have to go for the night"

"Fine"

"Next, I don't want you to speak to anyone unless I have introduced you to them"

"Sure"

"Last and not least…..if you see Alexander Luthor, you are to avoid him or better yet come find me ASAP, got it?"

"Whatever"

"I asked you, do you have that?" Scott asked acting like a drill sergeant from the Army.

"Sure, but what for?" Clark asked wondering if his brother wasn't as "saintly" as his parents painted him to be.

"That is none of your concern"

"You have a crush on him" Clark said smiling at the thought of his brother crushing on someone.

"And if I do, what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing, just….it's cute" Clark said before laughing at the thought of his brother following someone around like a love sick teenage girl.

"It's not cute, and you would do well to remember that" Scott said in a huff about his dorky younger brother making fun of him.

"Sure, sure" Clark said with a smile on his face.

"Good now go and get ready; I will be by in a while to make sure that your clothes are up to par." Scott said before walking down the hall and into his room. Clark then completed his journey to his room, before falling into a heap at the end of his bed. He hated when his brother would drag him into these parties, because in the end he would be the one that got into trouble, what with being the black sheep of the family. Clark just shook his head before making his way to his closet to pick out an outfit that his brother would approve of, it was hard due to the fact that Clark's wardrobe consisted of a lot of flannel and worn out jeans. He found in the very back of his closet a pair of deep blue jeans, that looked to have been worn once or twice and he grabbed the first t-shirt from his dresser; which was an army green t-shirt with the logo of "Kal's Chicken" on it. Once he had collected the other things he needed for his shower he left for the bathroom down the hall, since it seemed that his parents felt he didn't need his own bathroom like his brother or sister. An hour later, Clark came out of the bathroom dressed and ready to go, his brother Scott came to his room shortly there after.

"So" Scott said as he opened the door to see that Clark was sitting at his computer reading, as usual.

"Huh" Clark said swiveling in his desk chair.

"Nice, like the shirt" Scott said checking his brother for any flaws, and he noticed the largest one sitting on the perch of Clark's nose.

"For goodness sakes, take those God awful glasses off and put in the contacts that mom bought you" Scott said shaking his head at his brother and his lack of style.

"But I like my glasses just fine"

"I don't care, you look like a complete dweeb and that is not the look we are going for tonight. Plus how much did mom spend on those contacts for you to only wear those glasses?" Scott said sneering at Clark, and the glasses that were on his face.

"I don't like sticking my finger in my eye, and I do wear them but only when mom or dad tells me to, you know that." Clark said eyeing his brother hoping that he would be able to get out of wearing the contacts for the night.

"Well, go and put them in, you aren't going out with those on your face" Scott said pointing to the glasses.

"Fine" Clark said with a sigh, he could hope couldn't he. Clark searched his dresser top for a few minutes before he found the box that held the disposable contacts that his mother had bought hoping that he would brush up his image. It didn't happen but Clark really didn't care what people thought about him. Scott watched his brother and had to wonder, how on Earth Clark came out the way he did. Neither one of either parents were into farming or anything having to do with agriculture, so Scott always wondered if maybe his mother had an affair with the gardener and Clark was result, but due to the fact that Clark looked like the perfect mix between both of their parents that theory had been thrown out the window. Scott on the other hand looked just like his father, only with his mother's eyes which were the famous Grant green.

"Done?" Scott asked impatiently.

"Just about" Clark said trying once again to put his contact in his eye, once he had it; he turned so that his brother could inspect him.

"It'll do" Scott said before turning and walking out of Clark's room and down the stairs to the front door. Clark trailed behind him, hoping that his brother would change his mind or even forget about him all together going to the party.

"Come on, you're going to make us late" Scott yelled from outside next to his new car that he got for graduation.

"Coming, coming" Clark mumbled as me made his way outside and into the H3 that had his brother waiting for him in.

"Jeez, Clark, it won't be that bad" Scott said before pulling out of the driveway and making his way over to his best friend's, Pete Ross, house. It was only a ten minute drive, but Clark felt that it took hours to get there. When they arrived they were met by Pete at the door.

"Man! This is going to rock; the 'rents are gone for the rest of the week so if there is major damage I got some time to fix things up."

"Sweet!" Scott said and Clark wanted to roll his eyes at the way that his brother and Pete spoke to each other, as if they were straight from a California beach which was so not the case.

"Did you *have* to bring him?" Pete asked now noticing Clark standing off to the side waiting for the night to be done with already.

"You know my 'rents wouldn't let me come if I didn't bring him. He won't be a problem trust me on that" Scott said smiling at Pete and thoughts about the party and who was going to be in attendance.

"So, do you really think Luthor is going to show?" Pete asked excited with the prospect of having *the* Alexander Luthor coming to his graduation party.

"Well, I heard from Brody that Alex said he was coming" Scott said with a big cheesy smile on his face. Clark laughed then, due to his brother's face.

"Dude you are majorly crushing" Pete said to Scott as they made their way into the house where the DJ was getting ready for the night ahead.

"Clark" Scott said once Pete had left to check on some last minute details.

"Yeah" Clark said looking around to see if he could find a hiding spot for the rest of the night.

"You are to find me the minute that Alexander Luthor comes in. Got that?" Scott said with a nervous air about him.

"Sure, if you don't see him first, I come and find you" Clark said rolling his eyes now that he had been told twice to come and find Scott if he saw Alexander Luthor first, even though Clark had no idea what Alexander Luthor looked like. He had heard the name since he did attend Vanguard Prep with his brother, but he wasn't too bothered with who the popular people where since he liked his 4H friends just fine.

"Great" Scott said as he left to answer the door for the first guest to arrive at the party.

"Just bloody terrific" Clark said as he walked away and toward the back of the house. It was three hours later and many trips to the bathroom that Clark found himself staring into the eyes of an Alexander Luthor, though he didn't know it at the time.

"Mind if I sit here?" Lex asked Clark, as he looked down at the younger man.

"Oh, no, go right ahead" Clark said moving over a bit to make room on the loveseat that he had been on almost all night.

"Thanks" Lex said looking at Clark with his intense steel-blue eyes.

"So" Clark said after a moment of Lex staring at him, with something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Yes?" Lex said in the form of a question.

"Uh….nice party" Clark said and then wanted to punch himself for how dorky he sounded.

"It has its appeal" Lex said looking at Clark as if he was the only person in the room.

"I guess" Clark said turning his head and looking around for his brother.

"Lex, by the way, and you are?" Lex said with a rising of his eyebrows.

"Oh, uh, Clark McBride"

"Scott McBride is what, your younger or older brother?" Lex said staring at Clark.

"Oh, my older brother" Clark said moving toward the end of the couch now that Lex knew who is brother was.

"Hmmm, well I guess I can over look that" Lex mumbled to himself, but Clark heard it loud and clear.

"Overlook what?" Clark asked wondering if the person next to him wasn't a fan of his brother.

"That your brother is Scott McBride"

"Not a fan, I take it?" Clark questioned hoping that someone in the town of Metropolis didn't think his brother hung the moon and the stars like his parents seem to think.

"No, not a fan at all"

"He has his moments, or so I am told" Clark said before chuckling a bit at the cracks they were making about his brother.

"You don't seem the fan either"

"No, being the youngest of three does that to you. My brother hung the moon and stars and the soccer world revolves around him. Then there is my sister, Jessie that the fashion and dance world have yet to notice, even though she is horrible in both." Clark said by way of explaining his family dynamic.

"So, what year are you, since you obviously are not here because you graduated"

"Oh, I'm a sophomore next year" Clark said hoping not to sound like a complete dweeb.

"Hmmm"

"Uh, well, it was nice talking to you" Clark said as he tried to make his way across the room for another bottle of water.

"Would you be amenable to getting me a drink as well?" Lex asked with a bit of hope that Clark would come back.

"Sure" Clark said being nice to Lex.

"How about a bottle of water" Lex said looking to the now standing up Clark.

"Water?" Clark asked not believing his own ears.

"Yes, water…you know the H.2.0 thing our bodies are made 70% up of." Lex said smirking at the amazed look on Clark's face.

"Okay, sorry" Clark said before he turned away to get two bottled waters, Lex watched him the whole time with something more than lust in his eyes. He could have had anyone in the room, but something about Clark was drawing him to the younger man. It was few moments later that Clark came back with the waters and sat down again.

"So, what do you plan on doing now" Clark asked curious to find out what the other man had plans to do.

"Well, I plan to go to Princeton in the fall" Lex said eyeing Clark for a reaction.

"Sounds good, to be able to get away from here I mean" Clark said with longing in his voice. He could only wish to leave Metropolis and his family behind.

"Don't like it here, I take it?"

"You could say that" Clark said brushing one of his hands against his pants.

"Why is that?" Lex said putting the now empty water bottle on the floor.

"Not a fan of my family ideas on what I should do with my life"

"Aren't we all" Lex said with a small laugh and smile on his face.

"I guess so, huh?" Clark said smiling at Lex now too.

"So do you play any sports?" Lex asked Clark, now interested to find out more about the person sitting next to him.

"Yeah, lacrosse and my family hates me for it" Clark said laughing at the fight that he had about being on the lacrosse team as apposed to the soccer team.

"Not fans, huh?"

"No way, I had to beg just to get to play this year and if my brother has his way, which he will, I will end up playing soccer. I'm no good at soccer" Clark said with anger rolling off of him in waves.

"Well, I am a fencing man myself" Lex shared.

"Wow, I heard we went to state this year" Clark said interested in the other man next to him. Not knowing that this was *the* Alexander Luthor that his brother was looking for; to him it was just some guy named Lex. He didn't know how much this night would haunt him, come the next day.

"Sure did, and got the championship too" Lex said proud of the accomplishment.

"Great job!" Clark said with a huge smile on his face in congratulations.

"Thanks, my father wasn't too impressed though" Lex said his face changing at the mention of his father.

"Sorry" Clark said sad now that he had brought something up that the other wasn't happy about.

"Its fine" Lex said brighten up with a change in subject.

"So what else does Clark McBride do?"

"Well I am a 4H member; I am working on the best practices for organic farmers."

"Agriculture, who would have thought" Lex mused out loud, not looking for a response but getting one anyway.

"My family sure didn't think so" Clark said shaking his head at the numerous times he fought with his parents about his choice of extracurricular activities.

"Understandable, it isn't everyday that one's child decides agriculture is something enjoyable."

"Sure" Clark said sad at the idea that once his brother went to college that he would have to live up to his brother's goals.

"Would you walk with me for some fresh air?" Lex said hoping he didn't sound too odd asking Clark to walk with him. He had seen some of the guys eyeing him and Clark and he knew he had to leave the area soon or be swamped by guys that wanted to get in his pants.

"Sure" Clark said standing up and then moving out of the way so that Lex too could stand; soon after, they made their way to the back of the house where a set of stairs lead to the upstairs.

"Think it will be better up there?" Clark said while motioning with his head up the stairs.

"Might" Lex said mounting the stairs with Clark trailing behind him. Once they reached the top, they made their way to the first open door that had a nicely made bed in it.

"How about this?" Lex said walking in and looking around.

"Looks good to me" Clark said walking over to the window to open it a bit to let in some fresh air. Lex on the other hand closed and locked the door to avoid people coming in. Clark heard the lock and spun around.

"Just to keep others out, I have no desire to be pawed at" Lex said while gracefully sitting on the bed. Clark nodded his head and looked about the room for any sort of indication on whose room this was.

"Looks to be a guest room" Lex threw out to Clark.

"I think you are right" Clark said now coming to sit next to Lex on the bed, since there didn't seem to be any chairs in the room. Both Lex and Clark sat in silence for a few moments before Lex decided to test the waters with Clark. While Clark looked around the room with his eyes again, Lex placed his hand on Clark's. Clark jumped and looked into Lex's eyes to see something more than lust shining out of them.

"Clark" Lex whispered as he got closer to Clark. Clark just sat there frozen, Lex was about to kiss him, Clark McBride dorky brother of Scott McBride, Jr.

"Clark" Lex called out one more time, before his lips where on Clark's. Clark resisted for all of one second, before Lex's tongue ran across his bottom lip asking for entrance to his mouth. Clark opened willing then and that was the end of Clark's resistance. Lex guided Clark to lie down while still staying connected to his lips. They broke the kiss with harsh panting due to the lack of air.

"Wow" Clark said and then giggled; Lex thought it was the best sound he had heard ever, well at least since his mother died.

"I want more" Lex said kissing Clark again, hoping that Clark wouldn't say no. Clark just nodded his head and began to kiss Lex again hoping that Lex would guide him through this.

"Are you sure?" Lex asked one last time, before he would take Clark fully.

"Yes" Clark said running his right hand along Lex's back.

"Good" Lex said diving back in for a kiss and then moving his hands around Clark's body. This continued on for what seemed like hours to Clark, he had no idea that sex could be so amazing or maybe it was because he was with someone who he genuinely liked and he was genuinely liked in return. Clark fell asleep on Lex's chest, while the other man ran his hand through Clark's sable locks. Lex fell asleep awhile later, comforted by Clark's even breathing.


	2. Act II:  The Aftermath

_Disclaimer: Don't own them and don't make any money off of them._

_Act II: The Aftermath_

"Wake up!" was said with the banging on the door startling both Lex and Clark awake.

"Huh" Clark said snuggling back down into Lex's side.

"Clark" Lex said pushing the other man a bit to get him to wake up.

"Yeah" Clark said sleepily.

"I think we need to get up" Lex said not really wanting to get up but knowing he had to.

"Just a few more minutes" Clark said not fully up yet.

"Clark, we aren't at your house" Lex said grinning at Clark's behavior.

"Wha" Clark said now opening his eyes and coming face-to-face with Lex since he woke up.

"Crap" Clark said looking around the room and to their naked forms. Lex just raised his eyebrows in a silent question. Clark was unable to speak due to the fact that his brother voice sounded from the door now.

"Shit!" Clark turned at the voice and was met with his brother's face in the doorway. Lex just looked between the two brothers and knew there was going to be a fall out, and he didn't want Clark to lose but had a feeling it wouldn't matter what he wanted.

"Clark Jerome McBride, what in *the* hell are you doing with Alexander Luthor?" Scott yelled at the top of his lungs to the pair sitting naked and in bed. Clark could only sputter while Lex got up and collected his clothes before leaving the room. Clark sat on the bed and watched as his brother came over to the bed and looked at the bed in anger.

"YOU WERE TO TELL ME WHEN ALEXANDER LUTHOR GOT HERE, NOT FUCK HIM!" Scott yelled at Clark, while Clark turned red at the thought of who could hear Scott's loud voice traveling through the house.

"Sorry" Clark mumbled and he knew that it wouldn't be enough, but he was tired of always having to do what his brother told him to do; especially when it is a bad idea.

"YOU KNEW I WANTED ALEXANDER, YOU KNEW" Scott continued to scream. Clark just sat there taking it until he heard someone else enter the room. It was Lex, fully clothed now.

"Clark" Lex said as he made his way over to the bed. He was stopped by a pair of hands on his arms.

"DUDE, MY BROTHER IS A COMPLETE LOSER. WHY HIM?" Scott asked baffled by why Lex would want Clark over him.

"It would be wise to release me and the reason that Clark and I did what we did are our own." Lex said coldly before making the rest of the way to Clark. Once there he bent over and kissed Clark on the lips and whispered:

"Thank you" Clark just nodded his head and then watched as Lex left the room followed quickly by Scott. Clark could hear his brother ranting to Lex about him and it wasn't pretty.

"Alexander, dude, my brother is soooo not your type. He's all into farming" Clark heard his brother say loud and clear through the door.

"And is there a problem with someone enjoying agriculture? The last time that I checked we all lived in the Midwest which is famous for its soil for farming and the like." Were Lex's cool words to Scott, Jr.

"It isn't that, it's just….just…."

"Just what McBride? You wanted to get into my pants or me into yours, but your younger brother beat you to it." Lex said, his voice taking on the steel edge that the Luthor's were known for. Clark gathered his clothes and dressed while watching out the window for Lex to exit the house. He was not disappointed, for a few minutes later Lex exited with Scott in tow. Clark could see that Scott was still trying to find out why Lex had had sex with Clark but was getting no where and fast if the cool demeanor he had heard was any sort of indication. Lex soon jumped into his black Pontiac Solstice, and sped off. Clark let out a breath before leaving the room that he had lost his virginity in.

"I can't believe this" Scott said while Pete watched his best friend pace the foyer.

"Scott" Pete said trying to calm his friend down.

"Don't. Just don't" Scott said before he stopped and watched as his little brother walked down the stairs.

"Your ass is mine" Scott said before walking out the front door and to his car. Clark followed behind somberly, knowing that there was nothing he could do to calm his brother down. The ride back to the house in the Hummer was tense, and when they arrived back to their home Clark knew that Scott would have him grounded for the rest of his life. Clark exited the SUV with a heavy heart; it had been an amazing night with an equally amazing man. Once their passion had been sated, they spoke to each other about everything, and Clark could say that he had fallen for the older teen but now there was no way that he would be allowed to see Lex if Scott had any say which it always seemed that he did.

"Clark Jerome McBride, you get your ass in here" Jessica McBride said from the living room where Scott stood smirking at Clark as he made his way fully into the room.

"Hi" Clark said lamely.

"What in the hell did you think you were doing, sleeping with a stranger?" Jessica said looking about ready to kill her youngest son.

"He wasn't a stranger, mom" Clark rebutted, but his mother didn't hear him.

"Clark, you should know better than that, Scott told you to stick by him"

"Scott said no such thing" Clark said getting angry because Scott had lied about what he said to Clark.

"Scott said he did"

"That doesn't mean that he did, mom"

"Don't speak to your mother that way" Scott Sr. said as he entered the room.

"But"

"No buts Clark" Scott Sr. said sitting down next to his wife wanting to know what was going on.

"It seems that our youngest son thought that it was a great idea to lose his virginity to some stranger at that party we allowed Scott to go to."

"Is that so?" Scott Sr. asked Clark. Clark could only nod his head in agreement since no one would listen to him any way.

"Well" Scott Sr. said speechless, he had never thought that his youngest son would be such a problem that he was turning out to be.

"Go to your room Clark, your mother and I will have to discuss your punishment"

"That's not fair" Clark said before turning and leaving the room. Right before he left he put in one last parting shot.

"If you guys wouldn't have made me go with Scott, it wouldn't have happened. Everything is not always my fault." Clark said before shuffling out of the room and up the stairs to await his punishment. Once Clark left the room, both his mother and father had to agree with what he said, so they decided to see what Scott had to say before punishing Clark.

"Scott, what happened?" Jessica asked her older son.

"Well, we got there early just like Pete wanted me to, and well from there I remember seeing Clark sitting on the couch but from there I lost sight of him. Then the next morning we go to check to make sure everyone is out of the house before the maid comes and we find Clark in bed with another man." Scott said leaving out Lex's name due to the fact that he didn't want to get the Luthor wrath against them.

"Why didn't you keep a better eye on him?" Scott Sr. asked hoping his older son had a good reason.

"There were a lot more people then to be expected and I sort of lost sight on him." Scott said feeling sheepish, now that his parents were questioning him.

"Scott, I think you need to go to your room as well, your brother could have been hurt or something may have gone wrong seriously by those actions." Jessica said with a worried look on her face. Her youngest son was not the type to fight back, and she was afraid that he may have been raped and not just had sex. She would need to find out more details.

"Was it consensual?"

"I think so, 'cause the guy came back after changing and kissed Clark." Scott said with anger in his eyes. He had hated seeing Clark get kissed by Alexander Luthor and not him, Scott McBride, Jr.

"Well, then" Jessica said while pointing to the door. Scott made his way over to the door and then to his door with revenge on his mind. He would make his brother pay for getting Alexander Luthor into bed. Jessica and Scott Sr. spoke quietly about both their son's punishments, before making their way to Clark's room. There they were met by a shirtless Clark with only pajama pants on.

"Clark, dear" Jessica started out. Clark sat at his desk chair while his parent sat on his bed.

"Clark, we have talked it over and we feel that you will be grounded for three months. That means no 4H, no lacrosse, no internet, no IM-ing and lastly no parties. You are also under house arrest for the whole summer" Scott Sr. said, sadly disappointed in his youngest son.

"I understand" Clark said waiting for the rest of his punishment.

"Also we want you to know, that sex is not a game. You could have been raped or I don't even want to know what would have happened if you had. You should have stuck by your brother." Jessica said looking at her son's defeated posture.

"That's the thing, I didn't *want* to go to the party in the first place. I was told once I got there to find Alexander Luthor for Scott, I didn't need to be there for that." Clark said getting angry at the thought that he was being punished for Scott's mistake, yet again.

"It doesn't matter what you wanted, you went and these are the consequences." Jessica said before standing up and making her way to the door, with her husband behind her.

"We raised you better than this" was Jessica's parting shot. Once the door had closed Clark spoke again.

"You didn't raise me at all, so how would you know?" Clark had tears in his eyes by the time he finished his sentence.

The next few weeks for Clark were hard due to the fact that he had nothing to due but read books about farming or whatever else was in the house, due to his confinement to the house. Scott on the other hand seemed to have squeaked by with only a slap on the wrist and a "don't do it again". It was while Clark was reading a book dealing with organic farming that he began to feel queasy. A few minutes later, Clark could be seen running out of the library and into the bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach for the third time that day. He had been sick for the last week and couldn't seem to figure out what was wrong. He had told his parents and they seem to think that he was lying, that may have been because his brother had started up telling lies about him.

"Clark" Jessie, Clark's older sister called through the door of the bathroom.

"Yeah" was Clark response before empting his stomach one more time.

"Are you all right?"

"No" Clark said before opening the door after he composed himself as best he could.

"Well, what's wrong?" Jessie asked impatiently.

"I must have a stomach bug or something" Clark said brushing off the fake concern coming from his sister. In the past weeks, she had banded together with Scott to get Clark in more trouble than he was previously.

"Well, have you told mom and dad about it?" Jessie said tapping her high-heeled foot on the marble floor on the foyer.

"Sure, I have told them about it, but they told me it was nothing" Clark said looking down upon his sister from his tall height.

"Sure you did" Jessie said before sauntering off toward the living room where their parents currently were with Scott, Jr.

"Mom, dad….Clark is sick" Jessie said by way of greeting their parents.

"Is that so, pumpkin?" Scott, Sr. asked his daughter as she took on spot next to Scott, Jr.

"Yeah, he was puking his guts out as I came back from shopping"

"Well, son" Scott, Sr. said turning to watch his youngest son from the doorway.

"Must be a stomach bug or something" Clark said brushing off anything major being wrong with him.

"Are you sure about that? It couldn't have anything to do with that party now could it?" Jessica McBride said with an air of disapproval in her voice.

"No, it couldn't be that mom" Scott, Jr. said while eyeing Clark for him to disagree that Alexander Luthor would have given him something.

"Don't think so" Clark said shrugging his shoulders, he really didn't think it was anything seriously wrong but one never knew these days.

"Ooooh, Clark went to a party with Scott?" Jessie asked perched next to her favorite brother.

"Yeah" Clark said shifting foot-to-foot, while looking around the room for relief, there was none but Clark didn't expect to find any with the current McBride's present.

"Do tell little bro" Jessie said nudging her brother next to her. She could see in his eyes that there was more to the story then Clark going to the party, something major like 'a Luthor' her mind supplied for her.

"Well, you know Pete threw that huge graduation party" Scott started out, he didn't want to incriminate himself too much, but he sure as hell wanted Clark to pay for sleeping with Alexander Luthor.

"Sure, you said it was going to be the bash of the year" Jessie said looking at her perfect nails.

"Well, mom and dad wouldn't let me go unless I took Clark"

"Oh, well" Jessie said looking to their parents for a reason why Scott should have taken Clark.

"We thought this would be a good opportunity for Clark to meet new people." Jessica said to her daughter's look of amazement.

"Okay, not my business" Jessie said looking for the real reason on why she had been giving her youngest brother problems.

"Well, Clark felt the need to not stick by Scott, and he well…." Jessica said letting her daughter fill in the blanks.

"Clark got laid!" Jessie shouted for the whole room to hear and maybe even some of the staff within hearing range.

"Yeah, isn't that a laugh?" Scott, Jr. asked his older sister, who had just gotten back from her first year at college.

"A laugh and a half, so who's the twink?" Jessie asked hoping for a response.

"Now Jessie-Ann McBride, we do not talk like that in this house." Jessica said to her daughter with disapproval on her face.

"Sorry" Jessie said not looking all that sorry at least in Clark's opinion.

"So?" Jessie said looking to both of her brothers in the room.

"Don't worry about it" Scott, Jr. said with a tone that clearly indicated that the topic was done for the time being.

"Sure" Jessie said conveying with her eyes to her brother that she wanted all the details later.

"So, Clark you are not feeling well?" Jessica said changing the subject for now, to something that could make everyone in the room happy.

"Yeah" Clark said shrugging his shoulders again.

"It is yes, you will enunciate your words and I will call Dr. Kent for an appointment" Jessica said making her way out of the room and to the office where all the important numbers were kept.

"Clark why don't you go back to your room and wait for your mother to call you about that appointment?" Scott, Sr. told his son before leaving, and Clark left the room before his two siblings could start in on him. Clark waited for a good half an hour before his mother came up to his room to tell him that they were to leave in ten minutes time for his appointment. Clark could tell that there would be a lecture involved on the ride there, due to him not being ready to go. Once in the black BMW sedan, Jessica started in on Clark.

"Clark, why weren't you ready?"

"No one told me that I needed to be ready" Clark said while looking out the passenger-side window.

"Well, I told Scott and he said he would tell you." Jessica said frowning at the thought of her oldest son not relaying the message.

"Well, he didn't tell me" Clark said while continuing to look out the window.

"Hmmm" was all Jessica could say as they pulled up to the doctor's office.

"Well, we're here" Jessica said as she got out of the car and walked toward the office building that held one Dr. James Kent's practice. Clark got out and eyed the building with a sense of concern on his face. The only time he would end up here, would be due to some mysterious accident that he had, by the hands of his brother.

"Name?" The receptionist asked both Clark and Jessica.

"McBride, Clark" Jessica said before getting out her wallet for the debit card and insurance card that they would need.

"Here to see Dr. Kent at 3:15" the receptionist said back to what was written on the computer screen in front of her.

"Yes" Jessica said waiting for any other items she may be needed for.

"Your co-payment is twenty-five dollars" Jessica handed over the debit card and made Clark go and sit down while she signed the slip.

"You'll be called back shortly" The receptionist said before sliding the frosted glass pane to its original placement. A few minutes later a plump woman at about the age of forty called out:

"McBride" Clark stood up while his mother continued to be seated. Clark looked to his mom to get up, but she spoke instead of standing.

"You are fifteen years old, you can tell the doctor what is wrong" and then turned the page to the magazine that she had taken up reading since they sat down.

"Great" Clark mumbled as he made his way over to the woman that called his name.

"Clark, nice to meet you my name is Lola and I am working with Dr. Kent today." Lola said with a nice smile on her face that made Clark want to smile in return.

"Nice to meet you" Clark said as he stood on the scale for his weight, before being moved into an exam room.

"So what seems to bring such a nice looking guy like yourself into Dr. Kent's office?" Clark blushed at the complement before being able to speak.

"Well, I have been throwing up for about a week now" Clark said before trailing off as he watched Lola write down what he said.

"Is it occurring at a certain time of the day, or all the time or around certain smells?" Lola asked patiently to Clark, she could see he was scared and who wouldn't be with going to the doctors.

"Well, it is usually in the morning or when I am near really smelly foods" Clark said thinking of any other time that his nausea came to him.

"Hmmmm, is that it?" Lola asked hoping that there were more symptoms then just vomiting.

"Yeah, I have been dizzy the last couple of days when I stand up too quickly." Clark said trying to sum up his symptoms as best he could.

"And when did you notice this? During an activity that required standing up fast?"

"No, I was running to go to the bathroom to throw up and noticed that I almost fell a few times before making it and just in time too." Clark said laughing a bit at his klutzy nature.

"Sounds like it" Lola said chuckling along with Clark.

"Well, let me get all of this down and Dr. Kent will be with you shortly" Lola said while she finished putting the vital signs and notes in Clark's chart. After she finished Clark waited in the room for about five minutes before Dr. James Kent came through the door.

"Clark, long time no see" the doctor said with an easy smile on his face. He was one of the few people that Clark had a genuine liking for.

"I like to keep it that way, Dr. Kent" Clark said smiling at the man in front of him.

"So, you aren't feeling up to snuff, what's going on? Can't have you sick and sitting out lacrosse this year."

"Dunno, just been feeling sick for the last about week to week and a half." Clark said shrugging his shoulders as he seemed to be doing a lot these days.

"Well, that could be any number of things." Dr. Kent said looking over Clark's vitals and notes that Lola took for Clark's visit.

"Clark, I hate to have to ask this, but have you been sexually active in the last, oh say, thirty days?" Clark blushed a deep red at the question and Dr. Kent took notice.

"So that's a yes then?" Dr. Kent said with a big smile on his face. Clark could only nod his head in agreement due to his vocal cords not working.

"Well, then my next question is going to be even better." He said while laughing a bit harder now at the next question.

"Man or woman?"

"Man" Clark some how squeaked out and he could see that there was yet another question that was going to follow that was going to be even worse than the first two.

"Giving or receiving" Dr. Kent said wiping the humor off his face now that Clark was now looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"Receiving" Clark said as he ducked his head in shame.

"First time, huh" Dr. Kent said in a concerned air, no ones first time should result in a doctor's visit but it had to be ruled out before other avenues could be pursued.

"Yeah" Clark said looking into the older man's eyes looking for some sort of comfort that he didn't get from his family.

"Were they careful?" the doctor asked hoping that it had been between two consenting teenagers.

"Yeah, it was nice" Clark said before blushing at the words and ducking his head.

"Good, good. So was it anybody I know?" The doctor asked with some humor in his voice.

"Probably" Clark said chuckling at how much better the doctor made him feel in regards to the liaison he had with Lex.

"Well, no need to tell me, but if you wanted to I would understand and keep it private."

"Well, ah; you see that is sort of the issue. I'm not sure on what their real name is, but my brother pointed out to me who they really were." Clark said rubbing the back of his neck, he so wanted to trust the man in front of him but he just couldn't decide on if it was a good idea or not.

"Clark, you can trust me on this" Dr. Kent said concerned at the way Clark was acting.

"Well, they said their name was Lex" Clark started out deciding that he needed someone to bounce his concerns off of.

"Well, what is the problem, Lex or don't you know the last name?" Humor laced with every word at the thought of it possibly being Lex Luthor.

"Well, that is the thing; I just thought it was some guy named Lex that liked me….well come to find out it was Alexander Luthor." Clark said watching the other man's face for the surprise he knew he would see there.

"Wow, just wow" Dr. Kent said leaning back in on his stool to then only fall off, when there was no back.

"You all right?" Clark asked concerned and smiling at the reaction his confession got him.

"Yeah, yeah just fine. I saw Lex just a couple of days ago, for his physical exam before he gets ready to go off to Princeton."

"Yeah he told me about going off to Princeton" Clark said helping the doctor off the floor.

"Well, let's have a look at you to rule out any sort of bugs that you might have and move on from there." Dr. Kent said patting the papered table that Clark hopped up on. After a few minutes of checking over Clark, the doctor was no closer in finding out what was giving Clark his symptoms.

"Well, do you have time for a blood test? I don't see your mom or dad with you." Dr. Kent said patting Clark on the arm as he put his shoes back on.

"Mom's out in the waiting room" Clark said as he sat on the papered table again.

"Well, let me get Lola in here to get some blood and then you shall be off, and Clark?" The doctors said before leaving the room.

"Yeah"

"If you ever need to talk to someone, just call me." Dr. Kent said before walking back over to Clark and giving him a slip of paper with all of the doctor's important numbers on it.

"And don't tell Lola you have that, she would kill you for it." Was the doctor's parting shot before he went to find Lola to get some of Clark's blood, Lola made an appearance a moment later with a phlebotomy kit and then drew Clark's blood.

"Dr. Kent will call you in a couple of days about the results." Lola said patting Clark's arm before moving him out of the room, so that she could clean it up.

"Okay" Clark said as he made his way out of the room and to where his mother sat talking on her cell phone to someone.

"Ready" Clark said as she stood up and made a motion with her hands for Clark to follow her. Once inside the car, Jessica hung up the phone and started grilling Clark on what the result of the visit were.

"He had to do some blood tests, said they would call in a couple of days." Clark said looking out the window again, due to the concern he was having over his symptoms.

"Well…" Jessica said trailing off at the end, due to not knowing what to say to her son to comfort him.

"Don't worry about it mom, it's probably nothing" Clark said as the house came into his vision first as she took a corner.

"I certainly hope so" Jessica said before opening her door to get out of the car. Clark could only shake his head at how unconcerned his parents were about him, and only when bad things happen did they notice him, which wasn't often. Clark shuffled into the house and was met with the rest of the McBride family in the foyer awaiting their return.

"So" Jessie asked to break the silent tension that had covered the room.

"Blood work" was all Clark said before making his way back up to his room where he would wait out the next couple of days for the results and a call back. The next couple of days for Clark were pure torture if having to put up with his brother and sister's constant nagging about him and his recent sickness. It was while Clark was in the bathroom tossing his cookies that the call from Dr. Kent office came.

"Clark, phone" Jessie screamed to her youngest brother. She had no idea that is was the doctor's office and for that Clark could only thank his lucky stars.

"Hello" Clark croaked out.

"Clark, Dr. Kent here" the doctor said with what Clark could hear was concern in his voice.

"What's up?" Clark asked eyeing the other two present in the room, his sister and his father.

"I think you need to come on back in to discuss these results. I want to double check some things before I give you my diagnosis."

"That bad" Clark said worry tinting very word.

"I guess it could be if you weren't looking for this sort of diagnosis. Just come on by and we can talk, do you want your parent present or even included?" The doctor asked hoping to make Clark as comfortable as possible with the words he was going to speak.

"No, I'll be there in about ten minutes" Clark said before hanging up the phone and making his way over to the front door.

"Clark" Scott, Sr. called out to his youngest son.

"Yeah, dad" Clark said turning around in the foyer looking at his father.

"Where are you off to?"

"Back to the doctor's office"

"Well, let me take you" Scott, Sr. said before standing up and making his way over to his youngest son. Jessie sat on the couch and pouted before hitting her father up for some cash to go to the mall with. Scott, Sr. was all too happy to give his princess some money before they left the house. The ride there was tense due to the fact that Scott, Sr. had no idea on what to talk about with his youngest son. His oldest son was so much more like him, which was why he tended to stay away from Clark. Once they arrived Clark got out of the car and checked in so that the visit could be as short as possible.

"McBride" Lola called out again and was met with Clark's amazing frame.

"Hey Lola" Clark said walking toward the woman in question.

"Son you want me to come back?" Scott, Sr. asked helplessly as to what to do.

"No, its okay dad" Clark threw over his shoulder before following Lola to a room.

"Have a seat" Lola said before leaving to find the doctor. A moment later the door was opened by Dr. Kent.

"Didn't I just see you" he joked with Clark before getting down to business.

"Maybe" Clark said grinning at the ease at which he was able to talk to the man in front of him. Better than with his own father and that should tell anybody something.

"Well, down to business" Dr. Kent started.

"Give it to me straight" Clark said trying to hold in his laughter at the words.

"Well, have you ever heard of Olanwsky's Syndrome?" Dr. Kent said with a small smile on his face.

"I think so, isn't it like super rare?" Clark said racking his brain for any details on the syndrome that he could think of.

"Yes, it is very rare, it only occurs in .01% of the male population."

"That rare?" Clark asked confused about why the doctor was asking him these sorts of questions.

"That rare, do you know what it involves?"

"Uhm, isn't that some syndrome that …I can't seem to remember but I have heard of it before." Clark said disappointed that he couldn't remember more.

"It's all right, you know more than most people on the planet. Olanwsky's Syndrome is a genetic predisposition that allows a male to get pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Clark asked in wonder at the idea of a man getting pregnant.

"Pregnant? Are you saying you think I am pregnant?" Clark asked as he began to process the information that he was being given.

"Well, the preliminary tests would indicate that yes, you are in fact pregnant. Now I would like to confirm this before we decide on a course of action." Dr. Kent said slowly so that Clark wouldn't miss anything that was being said.

"Would you like for me to call your father back?"

"NO!" Clark shouted immediately.

"If they find out they will disown me." Clark said sadly at the idea of not having a family, even though the one he had wasn't the best to him it was at least a family.

"Clark" the doctor said with a caring about him.

"They will find out, will you need help then?"

"Yeah, I think I might" Clark said sadly due to the fact that he had no doubt in his mind that his parents would disown him due to this little fact.

"Well, let's cross that bridge when we come to it, okay" Dr. Kent said before going to get Lola for the second blood draw. Once they had finished the doctor stayed back to talk to Clark more about the situation.

"Clark, now if what you say is true and they disown you; do you have any sort of help?" The doctor asked hoping that Clark's family wouldn't be so callous.

"I don't think so, I mean I have my winnings from the shows that the 4H puts on and I have my savings account that I have been putting my allowance in but that is about it." Clark said placing a hand over his rock hard stomach, the thought of something living inside of him that he helped create was amazing.

"Well, you might want to brace for the worst, Clark. I have a brother who lives not far from here, but far enough away to not be found and is a doctor." The doctor said getting more and more concerned over the wellbeing of Clark and the baby that grew inside of him. Clark looked up in hope, trying to convey his gratitude.

"I don't know how to thank you" Clark said before a sob was emitted from this throat.

"Clark, just make sure of one thing; that you and that baby get out as soon as possible, if it is that you are indeed pregnant." Clark just nodded his head and hugged the man in front of him. With a mumbled thank you, Clark left the room to find his dad.

"All right there son?" Scott, Sr. asked his son as he walked out of the back office doorway.

"Fine, they just want to double check some things before giving the final diagnosis." Clark said walking to the car with his father.

"Hey dad?"

"Yes son"

"Can we stop by the bank?" Clark asked with as much caution as he could. If he really was pregnant than his parents would freeze the money in the account that he had been using for years, before disowning him.

"Sure thing" Scott, Sr. said as he pulled into traffic to go to the bank, a few minutes later Clark arrived at the bank and got out.

"I'll be right back" Clark said before jogging into the bank to withdraw all of his money from the savings account. After he had taken care of that, he rode home in silence with his father.

"So" Jessie said when the two got back, tapping her high-heel foot on the marble foyer floor as she usually did.

"Nothing yet" Scott, Sr. said as he walked by and kissing his daughter on the cheek before moving into his office.

"Clark" Jessie whined as she swung around to get the information out of her youngest brother, but he was no where to be found. Jessie pouted and stomped up the stairs to Clark's room.

"Clark" Jessie whined again.

"Jessie" Clark whined back as he sat at his computer desk reading a medical book.

"So, what did the doctor say" Jessie said walking in and sitting down on the nicely made bed.

"Nothing yet, just some theories you'll find out when Scott finds out." Clark said putting the book away when there was no mention of the Olanwsky's Syndrome.

"But you do know something don't you?" Jessie said in all out whine mode.

"Maybe" Clark said before wheeling around to a row of books against wall.

"I don't know how you can read so much isn't it boring? Then again you are sort of boring yourself aren't you?" Jessie said before laughing and leaving the room, she could see she wasn't going to get anything out of Clark any time soon so she might as well wait and see. Clark for the next couple of day stayed up in his room packing all of the things he would need if he was in fact pregnant. He knew his brother would push for all out disowning, due to the fact that the child would be Lex's but Clark didn't care, at least not anymore. His family had treated him as if he was the most horrible child on the planet, and that was so not the case. He would never want any child of his to be raised in that type of environment and it would due to Scott and Jessie's monopoly upon their parents. Clark was startled out of his thoughts by his sister's voice.

"Clark, phone" Clark made his way over to the phone that was in the corner of his room.

"Hello" Clark said waiting for his sister to hang up. He then heard his mother's voice on the other line.

"Jessie hang up the phone, we have to go and get a dress picked out for the party." There was then a huff of air and a click and Clark spoke again.

"Hello?"

"Clark, Dr. Kent here"

"Oh hi" Clark said shyly due to the fact that the doctor was calling him.

"Well, I got the results and it confirmed my initial diagnosis." The doctors said slowly waiting for Clark to speak or cut in.

"Oh" Clark said as if he had, had all of the air knocked out of him.

"Clark, are you all right?" Dr. Kent asked concerned for the young man on the other end.

"I'm pregnant, I have a life growing inside of me" Clark said shocked and awed by the turn of events.

"Clark are you going to be all right?"

"I think so; can you give me the information for your brother? I have a feeling that I am going to need it." Clark said eyeing the bag that was tucked away in his closet full of his clothes and a stash of money.

"Sure can how about you come down to the office and I will get you all the information you might need." Dr. Kent said truly concerned for Clark's well being.

"That should be fine; I should be there in about ten minutes." Clark said holding on to the phone while patting his hard abs, where a baby grew inside him. Clark hung up the phone shortly there after and then made his way downstairs to get a ride to the doctor's office.

"Clark" Jessica called out to him as she saw him walk by the office that she was currently in with Jessie.

"So, who was that?" Jessie said bouncing in the chair that was in the room next to the large oak desk that their mother was sitting behind.

"Dr. Kent. Can you take me over there? He has the results of the tests." Clark said looking at his mother and sister with worry in his eyes.

"Sure" Jessica said standing up and walking toward Clark.

"I am soooo coming for this." Jessie said following her mother.

"Jessie, you are to sit there and find a dress, I told you to find one, months ago and now we are doing last minute shopping for this party. You are going to sit there until we get back and then *we* are going to find you something to wear." Jessica said in a firm tone that told everyone in the room to listen or fear her wrath. There were reasons on why his mother was the best attorney in Metropolis, Clark thought and this was it.

"Fine" Jessie huffed before sinking back into the chair and looking at the many dress books laying about the room.

"Clark, let's go" Jessica said with her high-heels clicking out in the foyer and to the car. Clark followed behind like the puppy he felt he was to the car. The ride to the office was short and Clark was called right back with his mother sitting in the waiting room yet again.

"Clark" Dr. Kent said as soon as he saw Clark.

"Hey" Clark shot back.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"With the pregnancy or my family?" Clark said trying to joke, but with it falling flat.

"Both, Clark I'm concerned"

"Don't be" Clark said trying to wave off the concern he could feel coming from the other man.

"Clark this pregnancy needs special care, *you* need special care. Clark, I only want what is best for you."

"I know, I know but I refuse to have my family dictate my life. I just want to have a family and if my family can't stand by my decision than they really weren't my family to begin with." Clark said trying to make the other man understand that this was something he wanted.

"Clark I understand that, but you also understand that they are your parents and they want what is best for you."

"Dr. Kent; no they don't. Most of the time they don't know I even exist." Clark said sadly at the way that his family treated him.

"Clark" Dr. Kent said walking over to Clark and giving him a hug. Clark clung to the man for all he was worth, the caring rolling off the man setting him at ease.

"It will be okay" Dr. Kent said hoping that he was telling the truth.

"Are you sure?" Clark said still holding on to the man.

"I think it will be, lets get that information for you and make sure that you have some where to go if need be." Dr. Kent said as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"If they kick you out, I want you to come straight here and I will take care of everything, got that?" Dr. Kent said looking straight into Clark's eyes. Clark nodded his head and continued to hug the doctor.

"Clark, are you sure?" Dr. Kent said releasing the young man.

"Yeah, I have a feeling I will be back" Clark said with a weak chuckle.

"Okay" Dr. Kent said rubbing Clark's head before leaving the exam room. Clark exited the room after that and met up with his mom in the waiting room.

"So" Jessica said as she put down the magazine she was reading.

"I need to talk to both you and dad" Clark said before walking out of the building and to the car. The ride home was made in silence due to the fact that Clark wouldn't speak and Jessica didn't want to break the silence that surrounded her son. Once they arrived back home, Jessica went to find her husband who was in his office.

"Scott" Jessica said coming into the room with Clark in tow.

"Jessica, Clark" Scott, Sr. said in a worried tone.

"Clark said he needs to talk to us" Jessica said sitting in a chair by the fireplace in the room.

"Clark" Scott, Sr. prompted his youngest son.

"Have you ever heard of Olanwsky's Syndrome?" Clark asked hoping he would get out of explaining too much about what was going on.

"No" both parents said at the same time, only to smile and laugh at their timing. Clark could only roll his eyes at how sappy his parents were in such an intense situation.

"So son what is Olanwsky's Syndrome?" Scott, Sr. asked his son.

"It is a genetic predisposition that allows males to become pregnant." Clark said explaining as clinically as possible.

"And what does that have to do with you?" Jessica asked her son, wondering how such an off topic would come up.

"Well, remember when I went to the graduation party with Scott?" Clark said hoping his parents would put two and two together.

"Sure we do, it is the reason why you are under house arrest." Scott, Sr. said before his face filled with disgust.

"Are you telling us that you are pregnant by some stranger?" Scott, Sr. spat at his son, before standing up and making his way toward his son.

"Yeah" Clark said softly before backing up as his father advanced on him.

"How the HELL did this happen?" Scott, Sr. said before whirling around to face his wife.

"I don't know" was screeched as she too stood up and advanced on Clark.

"I want you out of this house now!" Scott, Sr. yelled at Clark before going over to his desk and rifling through papers before looking back up at his son.

"You are not apart of this family, you will get out and you will never contact us again. Is that understood?" Scott, Sr. said as he signed his name on what looked to be a contract.

"I….I…." Clark stuttered before his father cut him off.

"Sign these and your mother will have them filed by the end of the day." Scott, Sr. said throwing the pen down waiting for Clark to sign. Clark walked over to the desk and looked down at the papers and saw that they were emancipation papers, Clark looked up amazed that his parents would have something like this at the ready.

"Just in case" Scott, Sr. said pressing a pen into his son's hand. Clark took it numbly and signed his name.

"Good, now Jessica go and get this taken care of. I don't want this freak in our house any longer than necessary."

"Dear" Jessica said before the paper work was pressed into her hands and she was pushed toward the door.

"I'll go and get my things" Clark said making his way to the door.

"Take only what you can fit in a duffle bag." Scott, Sr. yelled to Clark's back. Once outside the doors Clark ran to his room to collect the few items that he had left out just in case. Just as he was getting ready to come down the stairs he was stopped by his brother.

"So" Scott, Jr. said hands in pockets trying and failing to look like Lex.

"Yeah" Clark said wiping away some tears that fell while he finished packing.

"Going somewhere?" Scott, Jr. said with a smirk on his face.

"Stating the obvious there aren't you?" Clark said as he made his way back to the study where his parents were no doubt freezing the McBride assets that had been given to him when he turned fifteen.

"What's going on?" Scott, Jr. asked as he arrived behind Clark.

"Your brother is pregnant" Scott, Sr. said to his son while talking on the phone to his wife.

"What?" Scott, Jr. said in disbelief.

"Yeah, that about sums it up" Scott, Sr. said grimly.

"How is that possible?"

"Olanwsky's Syndrome" Clark said standing near the door way to the office.

"You are a _freak_" Scott, Jr. said before running out of the room to tell his sister the news.

"Clark your mother is going to take you with her to get the emancipation papers finalized; from there you are on your own." Scott, Sr. said before turning his back on Clark to look out the window.

"Thanks" Clark said sarcastically, before his mother entered the room dressed in her attorney wear.

"Let's go" Jessica said heels clicking on the marble floor with Clark and his duffle bag behind her. The ride to the boat to go to Metropolis proper was a tense one as well as the ride to the court house once they arrived. Clark's emancipation papers were filed and things were taken care of a quick fashion, now Clark stood in the middle of the court house with no idea on what to do.

"I suggest you find a new last name, because we certainly don't want to be associated with you." Jessica said with distaste coloring her words.

"Right" Clark said before walking away and toward the information booth that stood in the court house.

"Hello may I be of assistance?" An old lady about sixty asked Clark.

"Yes, can you tell me where I need to go to get a name change?" Clark said smiling at the lady.

"Fifth floor" she said while pointing to a bank of elevators.

"Thank you" Clark said before moving off to the elevators to get his name changed. To what, he had no idea but whatever it was it wasn't going to be McBride that was for sure. Once Clark arrived there was someone awaiting him.

"What are you here for?"

"Name change" Clark answered quickly.

"Down the hall and to your right" a man said not at all impressed with his job.

"Thanks" Clark said as he traveled the path that the man gave him. Clark arrived to a set of double doors and found that not a lot of action was occurring in the name change area.

"Hello" a pleasant woman said.

"Hi, I need to change my last name"

"Kind of young for that" the woman said eyeing Clark.

"I have just been emancipated" Clark said sadly hoping he wouldn't have to fight with the woman to get his last name changed.

"Oh, well, that changes things, come right over here and lets get you started" the woman said as she pulled out papers for Clark to fill out.

"Just your last name?"

"Yeah, I like the first and middle well enough" Clark said as he filled in the boxes that she indicated to him.

"From what, to what?" She said looking at him over her glasses.

"From McBride to well, that is the hard part I don't know to what." Clark trying to get some help with an idea for a last name.

"Well, you want something common or not?"

"Common would be fine"

"Well, there is the usual Smith, Johnson, Jones….I myself have the last name of Thomas. So what will be it dear?" The woman asked Clark as best she could, due to the confused look on his face.

"I think….I think I want the last name Kent" Clark said hesitant to say the words. Dr. Kent had been so nice to him that it was the only last name that he liked and was willing to use.

"Sounds fine dear, Clark Kent" the woman typed into the computer and printed out more papers for Clark to sign. After the signing was done, the woman, Margie, gave Clark all of his paper work to now prove that he had legally changed his name to Clark Jerome Kent.

"Thanks" Clark said waving to the woman before leaving the office. Once Clark arrived to the main lobby of the court house, he had no idea what to do. Looking around he saw a pay phone and decided to call Dr. Kent, since he said he could.

"Hello, Dr. Kent's office this is Lola"

"Hi Lola, it's me Clark McBride"

"Oh, hi Clark"

"Can I possibly talk to Dr. Kent?" Clark asked on the verge of tears.

"Sure, let me put you through" Lola said softly before putting Clark on hold.

"Clark" Dr. Kent said after a moment pause on the hold button.

"Well, I'm officially not a McBride" Clark said tears now running freely down his face.

"Oh Clark" Dr. Kent said and sat down in his chair in his office.

"Hope you Kents are better than the McBrides."

"Clark what are you saying?" Dr. Kent said picking up his keys and getting ready to leave his office.

"I changed my last name to Kent, hope you don't mind" Clark sob again before sniffing.

"That's fine, where are you?"

"I am at the court house" Clark said wiping the tears from his eyes due to people staring at him.

"I'm on my way" Dr. Kent said before hanging up the phone to go and collect Clark. Clark hung on to the line until the dial tone came on. It was thirty minutes later before James Kent walked into the court house looking for Clark, he found him sitting near the pay phones rocking back and forth.

"Clark" Dr. Kent said as be bent to Clark's level. Clark looked up and had a sad look on his face with tears running down his face.

"You made it" Clark said stunned that the doctor had followed through on his statement.

"Of course I would" Dr. Kent said while helping Clark off the floor.

"This it?" James said indicating Clark's duffle bag.

"Yeah, I could only take that much"

"It's fine, let's go" James said while steering Clark out of the court house. Thirty minutes later found Clark and James sitting in the doctor's personal office at his practice.

"So, let me just this straight? You parents have decided that even though it is their genetic combination that makes you a 'freak,' they kicked you out?" James said disgust written on his face at the attitude of Clark's now ex-parents.

"Yeah that about sums it up, my parents made it a point to tell me that I was just a mistake and that since they didn't believe in abortion, at the time, that they would keep me." Clark said while sipping on a soda that Lola had supplied once they arrived back to the office.

"Well, then, it sounds as if I will have to ask them to not use my services any longer, I will not have anyone that is a Kent being treated that way. And further more it is that type of thinking that made gay marriage so hard. My partner and I could have been married years ago, but due to that type of thinking we have only just been married since the law allowed same-sex marriage. And that was what five years ago?" James stated to Clark, hoping to make the younger man understand that he was worth something at least to some one.

"You consider me family?" Clark said hope shining out through his green-blue eyes.

"Of course, you would be the prefect addition to the Kent family. I know Jon and Martha will love you, and I will be the best uncle you can ask for. Martin and I aren't into having a family of our own but being your uncle would be an honor." James said coming around the desk to hug Clark once his words were spoken.

"Thank you" Clark said gratefully while holding on to the other man.

"So, Kent you picked and Kent you shall be." James said smiling to the young man that he had high hopes for.

"Now let me call my brother and his wife and see about having you meet them. I want you to be comfortable with them as well as them with you." James said, concern etched into his face. He could tell from the words that Clark spoke that no one had really cared what Clark wanted, needed or even thought.

"Okay?" James asked waiting for a response.

"Okay" Clark said nodding his head and eyeing the telephone as if he was going to meet his doom. James came around to sit in his chair that he had vacated and dialed the number to his brother's house in Smallville. Once the line began to ring, James put the call on speaker to wait for someone to pick up.

"Kent B & B, this is Martha speaking how can I help you?" Was spoken pleasantly over the phone, which had made Clark relax visibly to James.

"Martha, James here. Is that brother of mine there by any chance?" James said with a smile on his face at the relaxed posture of Clark, he had seen the moment the young man relaxed and was all for it.

"Well, actually James he is out in the barn, let me go and get him." Martha said before putting down the phone and making her way out to the barn to collect her husband that seemed to be trying to fix a tractor and was having no luck.

"James" a male voice came on the line a few moments later.

"Jon how are you and the wife doing?"

"About the same can't complain" Jonathan Kent said before laughing with his brother about the routine that they did when they call each other.

"So, a call in the middle of the day must mean something big is going on"

"You could say that" James said before plowing ahead in what he had to say.

"You know about Olanwsky's, right?" James said hoping that he wouldn't have to give his brother a detailed description of the syndrome, which would depress Clark even more.

"Sure, what doc doesn't?" Jonathan said trying to figure out where his brother was going with this.

"Well, I have a patient that has it"

"Amazing" Jonathan cut in before his brother cut him back off.

"It is, but what isn't so amazing is that he is pregnant and his parents have kicked him out."

"Why would they do such a thing?" Jonathan asked due to the fact that no child should be treated like that due to a genetic hiccup.

"Well, they could and they did, just think of what mom and dad would have done if they found out I had Olanwsky's." James said sadly, pointing out the fact that their own parents had disowned him the moment that he came out to them.

"Yeah, you're right." Jonathan said sadly, due to the chasm that was created because of James being gay by his parents.

"So, the young man in question really has no where else to go" James said trying to make Jonathan understand the complete trust he had in his younger brother for helping the young man out.

"So, where does he plan to stay? He and that baby of his will need specialized or at the very least some type of personal care….I hope you have found him and have some sort of plan on what is going to happen to him." Jonathan said concern in every word.

"Well, little bro that is why I am calling you. It seems that his parents have emancipated him and he is now a legal adult, but the problem is that he is only fifteen years old." James said eyeing Clark for any reaction from the words he was telling his brother.

"Wow, just wow" Jonathan said sounding like he had gotten the wind knocked out of him.

"I know" James said waiting for his brother to speak before going on about the next part of his plan.

"Bring him here" Jonathan said his voice firm, as if the decision was already made.

"Jon" James said before he was cut off by Jonathan.

"Let me talk to Martha about this, but bring him on over to the farm. We would love to have him here if he wants to stay." Jonathan said in the tone that stated there would be no compromises.

"Thank you" Clark whispered into the speaker of the phone that they were holding the conversation.

"Are you the young man in question" Jonathan said his voice in all out parent mode; James thought that it sounded great from his little brother.

"Yes, sir" Clark answered formally.

"No; none of that sir and ma'am here, just call me Jonathan or Jon and my wife Martha, we're family no need for formal titles we know what we are." Jonathan said before chuckling at words that came out of his mouth. He sometimes wondered just when he started to channel his father in some areas.

"So, when are you all coming?" Jonathan asked hoping for a response of soon.

"Well the sooner the better, and since tomorrow is Friday I don't see why I can't take the day off and visit with my little brother."

"So, should Martha expect you and whom for breakfast?" Jonathan asked humor lacing his words, if there was one thing that James would not pass up it was a home cooked meal from his wife and his partner was just as bad.

"I will have to ask Martin if he is free to take a mini-holiday, but if not be assured that myself and Clark will be there."

"So the young man's name is Clark" Jonathan stated the fact not in a question but a statement.

"Clark Kent to be precise, his parents thought that him keeping the McBride last name would sully the name."

"Welcome to the family Clark" Jonathan said in a strong voice that soothed Clark's frazzled nerves.

"Thanks" Clark said while shrugging his shoulders, it was a lot to take in for one person on this particular day. There was a brief silence due to James not knowing if Clark or Jonathan wanted to speak to each other.

"Well, I will see you tomorrow little bro" James said before saying his goodbyes to his brother. Once the call had been disconnected, James watched and waited for Clark to talk; he didn't have long to wait.

"They both sounded nice" Clark whispered into the quiet room.

"They are very nice people, I am proud to call Jonathan my brother and Martha my sister-in-law." James said proud of his brother.

"I hope that they like me" Clark said in a childlike voice.

"Clark, they will love you I know it" James said before coming back around the desk to hug Clark.

"My parents sure didn't like me" Clark said before a sob came from his mouth, it was just now that everything seemed to be crashing in on Clark.

"Clark" James said hugging the younger man tighter.

"They called me a freak" Clark said crying on James dress shirt.

"You are not a freak, and if you believe them then they have won." James said anger radiating from his body. He hated the fact that Clark believed what his family had fed to him for years, because he was such an amazing person.

"Lets get you to my house and you can meet Martin, I know he will just love to talk to you." James said laughing at the thought of his partner meeting Clark for the first time; one thing was certain Martin would love Clark.

"Okay" Clark said while releasing the standing man to follow him out and to the waiting Dodge Magnum that James drove. The ride was made in silence due to the fact that Clark was thinking about the day ahead. They arrived to a small bungalow that had plants all over the place; Clark was in awe of all the plants that he saw growing.

"Martin is a tenure professor at Met U, in the horticulture department." James said to Clark as Clark eyes got bigger and bigger at each word that James spoke.

"He likes plants?" Clark asked stunned by the revelation.

"That he does, I some times joke that he loves his plants sometimes more than me." James said laughing at the look at Clark's face. Clark didn't respond due to the fact that he got side tracked over to the blooming firespike plant. A bang and then yelling with a British accent could be heard, James just shook his head, and he didn't even have a chance to warn Clark about Martin's obsession with his plants.

"JUST WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" The man with the British accent yelled as he ran across the lawn toward Clark. Clark looked like a deer caught in the headlights, just standing there as the man approached at a fast rate.

"Martin!" James yelled hoping to sidetrack Martin enough to explain to him who Clark was and what he was doing here.

"James?" Martin said swirling around to catch site of his partner with surprise written all over his face.

"Martin, calm down he means no harm." James said trying to calm Martin down as he walked toward him.

"You know him?" Martin asked confused.

"Yes, I would like for you to meet Clark. Clark this is Martin, my husband." James said pulling the two together.

"Hi" Clark said shyly to the outspoken man that had just yelled at him.

"James" Martin said not responding to Clark.

"In the house" James said before turning and making his way toward the house not looking back to see if the two other men followed, once inside James sat in the living room waiting for the other two to enter. Martin entered followed shortly by Clark.


	3. Act III:  Meeting the Family

_Act III: Meeting the Family_

"Good, now Martin sit" James said patting the couch cushion next to him. Martin eyed James with an air of distaste.

"I am not some dog" Martin huffed before coming to sit by his lover.

"I know dear" James said before kissing Martin on the lips in hello. Martin settled somewhat with the kiss.

"So talk" Martin said crossing his arms across his chest.

"Martin, I would like for you to say hello to the newest Kent addition, Clark" James said making sure that Martin wouldn't say anything rude before he knew all the facts.

"Hello" Martin said overly curious now.

"Clark has Olanwsky's and it seemed his parents felt that they didn't want Clark, so they emancipated him. I have decided that maybe some time on the farm in Smallville will be good for Clark and the baby that he is carrying." James said and watched as his partners eyes went from anger to sadness to awe at his words.

"Pregnant?" Martin said turning to look at Clark, Clark shrunk under the intense gaze until it left his form.

"Yes, pregnant" James said nodding his head and placing a hand on Martin's thigh.

"Amazing" Martin said before he leaned back on the couch.

"Obviously not so much for his now ex-parents"

"Who?"

"McBride" James said with distaste.

"Figures, they think those two terrors they have are angels. I swear if I get the boy this year for any class I may have to quit. The girl was horrible, she whined and whined about the readings and then wanted to negotiate her grade when it came down to finals." Martin said wondering how he could have missed a third McBride.

"That sounds about like Jessie to me, she does that to my…I mean the McBrides all the time. Scott is just like dad…I mean Scott, Sr." Clark said embarrassed that he couldn't remember to call the McBrides by the correct name and not in a familial context.

"And why haven't we heard about a third McBride child?" Martin asked Clark hoping for an answer.

"Well, I am not the ideal child, I enjoy if you can believe it, agriculture." Clark said proud that he could now be his own person.

"No wonder you were eyeing my plants" Martin said getting excited at the prospects of actually having a student and/or family member that was as excited about plants as he was.

"Yeah, that was a beauty, firespike, right?" Clark said looking to Martin for confirmation.

"Yeah" Martin said now up and moving about the room. James had to laugh at the way that his husband was acting now that he knew that Clark was a fan of plants.

"Martin, honey what are you doing?"

"Gotta get him started" Martin mumbled before pulling some books off the shelf while talking to himself.

"Is that a good thing?" Clark asked worried as he followed the man walking around with his eyes.

"Very good sign, when Martin met my brother he was elated that he had a farm, when he found out that the Kents aren't known for the green thumbs he about went into cardiac failure. It seems that Martha can cook up a storm, but the growing aspect is sorely lacking."

"Oh" Clark said while digesting the words that James spoke.

"Got it!" Martin yelled all of sudden into the quiet that had settled around the other two in the room.

"Yes" James said smiling at the wild eyed look his husband had in his eyes. He only got that way when he was really, really, really excited about something and it seemed that Martin was that excited about Clark.

"Is he staying here? How old is he? Is he in college, because if he is we need to get him transferred to Met U and over in my department, can't have talent like him wasting at some other school." Martin rambled along looking to James for the answers his questions.

"Martin, dear sit down and take a deep breath." James waited for Martin to sit in the chair near the bookcase.

"Good, now to answer your questions. Clark is fifteen, so he is still in high school. We are meeting with Jon and Martha in the morning, to maybe see if they would like to raise Clark." James said watching his lover's eyes for any sort of objections, it had been a decision years ago that a family for them is out but recently Martin had talked about bringing some "new blood" as he called it into the Kent family, specifically their family.

"Yes, some fresh farm air would do him good" Martin said happy now that he knew the plan for the young man in front of him. He would have fought tooth and nail to keep the young man in their lives, but now he knew he had nothing to worry about.

"Good?" James said making sure that his lover was happy with the plan.

"Perfect actually, maybe he can grow something on that land they have out there." Martin said as he made his way over toward his lover and Clark now.

"Fifteen" Martin said once he sat next to his mate.

"Yeah" Clark said softly.

"A young one, what happened or do you not want to talk about it?" Martin said understanding coloring his words.

"It's an odd story" Clark said quietly.

"Well, I am also up for an odd story or two." Martin said chuckling a bit.

"Well, Scott talked my parents into letting him go to a graduation party being thrown my Pete Ross' for their graduation, but one of the conditions was that I come with. This has happened before so that was nothing new. When I got there I did the usual sit around on the couch and wait until my brother gets too wasted to drive us home or he screws some random guy and we stay the night." Clark said before taking a deep breath, he was interrupted by James.

"Would you like something to drink Clark?"

"That would be great" Clark said grateful that someone had asked him if he wanted something to drink.

"What would you like?"

"Water sounds good" Clark said and then watched as James left the room to fill the order.

"Does James know the story?" Martin asked as soon as James left the room.

"Pretty much" Clark said deciding on if he should continue or not.

"Well, keep going, he won't miss anything since he already knows." Martin said trying to get Clark to talk again.

"Well, Scott told me to let him know when Alexander Luthor came in; well there was a problem with that. I don't know what Alexander Luthor looks like; I try to stay low on the radar. So this guy talks to me and he says his name is Lex, we talk for awhile and he asks me to walk with him to get some air." Clark said stopping while James came back in with a glass of water for Clark. He sipped the water trying to get his nerves under control again.

"So, we walk around the house talking and when we get to the back there is a set of stairs; I figure the only people up stairs are going to be too busy to notice anything like two guys sitting around doing nothing. I mean I really liked Lex, but I wasn't thinking about getting laid when I went to the party like Scott was. Well one thing lead to another and the next thing I know Lex and I are laying down making out, from there is just spiraled out of control. I loved every minute of it and I don't regret it, I just wish that I had known what I know now." Clark said sadly due to the thoughts about Lex running through his head. Lex had been an amazing partner, not that Clark had any experience in the department, but he had felt that there was something more with Lex and he had really wanted to explore it. Now well, now not so much…..he wouldn't see Lex again or even have the opportunity to try a relationship with the older teen since it was no longer a possibility with Lex leaving for Princeton come the fall.

"Lex, what an odd name" Martin said looking to his husband for more information, because he knew one thing and that there was something *very* important information missing.

"Well, it seems that Lex is really Alexander Luthor" James said for Martin.

"Oh" Martin said stunned.

"Yeah, that was kind of the way I felt when Scott yelled it to me when he found Lex and I in bed together." Clark said smiling sadly at the thought of Lex.

"Well, did you contact Luthor?" Martin said wondering what the problem was.

"NO!" Clark yelled.

"Well, why not?" Martin asked confused, the other man should at least have a say so in the decision of his child's life.

"I don't want to do that to Lex, he is going to Princeton and I want him to go and make something of himself. I have always wanted a family and I guess this is just fate's way of saying that I….that I was destined to do this." Clark said sniffing at the end to try and curb the tears that he could feel coming. He had cried more in this one day than he had in his whole fifteen years of existence.

"So, you want to do this alone, with no help for Lex?" Martin asked impressed by the young man in front of him.

"Yeah" Clark said glad that some one understood what he couldn't put into words. There were reasons on why Clark hadn't contacted Lex when he was emancipated and he planned to stick to the reasons why, he wanted Lex to come to him freely not because of some burden, and so far that had not occurred. Clark had hoped that Lex would come and be his knight in shining armor, but for now he would focus on what was in the present and that was his health and the welfare of his child.

"So, no contact" Martin asked stunned that Clark wouldn't be taking advantage of the opportunity he was being given, with being pregnant with a Luthor's child.

"None" Clark said firmly, this was the one thing that he would not bend on.

"Okay" Martin said looking to his husband for direction.

"Tomorrow we go visit my brother and we go from there. Martin, can you take tomorrow off?"

"It shouldn't be a problem, since I don't have office hours or class tomorrow." Martin said almost enjoying the family like atmosphere that surrounded the three.

"Well, then how about we find some dinner and get to bed early, we have a big day tomorrow" James said before standing up and making his way toward the kitchen to see what all three of them could have for dinner. A few minutes later both Clark and Martin came in the kitchen looking at James's ass as it stuck out of the refrigerator.

"Well, nothing here" James said to himself, not realizing that the other two had entered the room.

"No, because I didn't get the chance to go to the store" Martin said standing in the doorway with Clark a bit behind him.

"Jeez, give a guy a heart attack would you?" James said holding his chest, due to the surprise response.

"You work out three times a week and have a body to die for, so don't tell me that I am going to give you a heart attack." Martin said smirking at his husband.

"Well, then don't creep up on me like that, scared the living daylights out of me." James said before laughing at the smirk that was painted across Martin's face.

"Fine then I won't" Martin said crossing his arms over his chest. Clark watched the play between the two and envied them, he could only hope that sometime in the future he would have what the two in front of him had.

"Well, how about Italian today?" Martin asked the other two; he had been having a craving for pasta for days.

"Sounds good. Clark?" James said looking at Clark for input.

"Whatever" Clark whispered, he didn't want to impede upon the two any more than he had to, and that meant that he certainly shouldn't have a say so in what to eat.

"Clark, you have as much say so as either Martin or I do. Would you like Italian?" James said trying to get Clark to understand that what the McBrides had done to Clark wasn't normal.

"I wouldn't mind some garlic bread and sauce" Clark said hesitant to express his opinion. Clark from a small age had been told that his opinion didn't matter, and that he was nothing more than a mistake and Clark didn't want these two men to think the same way that his parents had.

"Good, we can go over to Vince's" James said before leaving the room with Martin and Clark close behind. Clark smiled at the thought of actually being listened to for the first in a good long time. The rest of the night Clark spent in the company of the two men, and when the hour for bed arrived Clark found that his body was crashing due to the excitement of the day. When Martin lead Clark into the guest room, Clark laid on the bed and fell asleep before even changing or taking off his clothes. That is how Martin and James both found Clark, lying over the covers with the clothes from yesterday still on his body.

"Clark time to get up" Martin called to Clark, as James packed up the car for Smallville.

"Huh" Clark grunted before turning over and falling back asleep.

"Clark" Martin said again not wanting to wake Clark up, due to the bags that he had seen under the younger man's eyes yesterday.

"Ten more minutes" Clark mumbled before falling asleep again, by then Martin had decided that the best course of action to wake Clark up was to use stimulation. So Martin placed a hand on Clark's shoulder and shook Clark while calling him again.

"Clark" this time Clark noticed the difference and opened his eyes to meet that of Martin's. Clark screamed and fell out of the bed.

"Sorry" Clark mumbled from the other side of the bed that he had fallen on.

"It's quite all right, how about you get up and ready, James and I will wait for you downstairs?" Martin said waiting for Clark to surface from the side of the bed that he had fallen on.

"Sure" Clark said before standing up and stretching for the day. Martin could fully understand why Alexander Luthor wanted in to this young man's pants, because if Martin wasn't fully committed to his relationship with James, he would have been on the younger man.

"Okay" Martin said before giving one last look, he could look after all just couldn't touch. Clark waited until Martin left before flopping back on to the made bed that he had slept on all night.

"What are you getting yourself into Clark?" Clark said out loud to the empty room, before shaking his head and getting ready for the day ahead; about thirty minutes later a fully awake and dressed Clark walked into the living room where Martin and James sat on the couch both reading the newspaper.

"Ready" Clark said trying to get the attention of the two men on the couch.

"Excellent" James said before both he and Martin stood and exited the house, with Clark closed on their heels.

"It takes about three hours to get to Smallville and the farm." James said by way of explanation for the small bag of bagels already in the car.

"Oh" Clark said surprised that the trip was that long. The ride to Smallville was a bit longer than three hours, due to the number of times that they had to stop so Clark could vomit. Clark's morning sickness had come on strong and nothing really seemed to make it better, so all three men had to endure the frequent stops. At 11:30 the Dodge magnum pulled up to a large yellow farm house that had a porch swing on the front porch, Clark could honestly say that he could call this place home. By the time that James had turned off the car there were two people standing on the porch looking at the car, Clark could feel their gaze and it wasn't as unpleasant as when his parents had looked at him.

"Jon" James said he got out of the car and made his way over to his brother.

"James" Jonathan said looking in the back seat of the car and seeing Clark close up for the first time.

"How are you and the misses?" James said indicating that Martha had arrived by the hug he gave her.

"Good, good" Martha answered for his husband since he seemed determined to stare Clark out of the car.

"He's a bit shy, so be nice Jon" James said before he opened the back door of the car where Clark sat.

"Hi" Clark said softly to the two strangers in front of him. Martha about wanted to burst into tears at the look that both herself and her husband were getting. Clark looked both hopeful and fearful, and it was an amazing thing to see on his face.

"Hi Clark, I'm Martha and that oaf over there is my husband Jonathan" Martha said while watching Clark stand up to his full height.

"Wow" Martha mumbled staring up at the six foot three inch, fifteen year old that stood in front of her.

"Clark good to meet you" Jonathan finally said once Clark was standing properly outside the car.

"You too, sir" Clark said hoping that he wasn't offending the two new people, with his manners.

"Now none of that sirs and ma'ams here" Martha chastised Clark. Clark looked sheepish for forgetting that James had said the same thing yesterday.

"Dr. Kent said the same thing" Clark said before blushing again, due to the fact that both of the Kent men laughed.

"Which one?" Both Kents asked Clark, before laughing again.

"Ah" Clark said speechless at the ease at which the two men interacted.

"Clark, just call me James and Jonathan….well Jon, I guess, and you should be fine" James said after calming down a bit. Clark just nodded his head and looked around the area and saw nothing really of interest beside that there was a lot of land that had nothing on it.

"You don't grow anything" Clark said still surveying the land and already planning what would and could be planted in the soil.

"No, black thumbs the both of us" Jonathan said watching the young man as his mind worked away at something that Jonathan didn't know.

"Right" Clark said walking a bit away from the group and then bending down the check the soil.

"What's he doing?" Martha asked, hoping Martin or James had any idea what the young man that they had brought here was doing.

"By the looks of it he is checking the soil to see if it's suitable for planting" Martin said happiness coloring his voice.

"What?" Martha asked confused with the answer.

"Clark is in the 4H, and his specialty is organic farming. He is probably already plotting a garden or crop scheme for here." Martin said before going to talk to Clark about what the younger man was thinking. That left James, Jonathan and Martha alone, which was just what James wanted.

"Jon, Martha….so what do you think?" James said before cringing at the way the question sounded.

"He is a….a…" Jonathan said speechless for the first a good while.

"He is an amazing young man, which has been dealt a serious blow. Now if you don't think he would fit in here I will take him back to Metropolis at the end of the day." James said trying to make the two people in front of him understand that Clark would be perfect for them; they just had to wait and see.

"How about we just see how he does out here, he may not want to stay after a day here" Martha said hoping that Clark would stay.

"Sounds good" both James and Jonathan said at the same time. They had just begun to laugh when Martin and Clark came back beaming about something.

"Uh oh" James said eyeing his lover and the grin that was across his face.

"Oh James do be a dear and shut up" Martin said after kissing his husband on the cheek.

"What did you do and how much is it going to cost me?" James said knowing that Martin had done *something*.

"Nothing and it won't cost you a thing, Clark and I were just talking about some of the crops that Jonathan and Martha could grow on their empty land is all." Martin said with the most innocent voice he could come up with.

"I don't believe you" James said narrowing his eyes at his lover as if by doing so he would be able to read his mind.

"James, nothing to worry about, how about we all go in and get something to eat? I myself am quite hungry." Martin said before strolling away toward the house.

"And I won't get it out of you will I?" James asked Clark while watching his husband's retreating back. Clark just shook his head and made to follow Martin, just in case James would ask again.

"Well, come on" James said making to follow the other two that had left leaving Martha and Jonathan for a moment.

"So" Martha asked her voice laced with hope.

"Fine" Jonathan said before he was jumped by his wife.

"Let's go" Martha said after she had kissed her husband silly.

"Only if he wants to stay here you understand? I don't want him staying if he isn't comfortable here" Jonathan said trying to not get his hopes up as well for Clark to come and live with them. Clark may have been a teen, but with a child on the way Jonathan couldn't help but think of all the things that he could do as both a father and grandfather for young man and his child.

"He got to you too" Martha said watching the smile cross her husband's face.

"That he did, he isn't much for talking or at least not right now but he seems like an amazing person." Jonathan said with awe in his voice at the gentle way that Clark spoke, even due to his large frame. Once the whole group was inside and seated a discussion came up as to what happened on the farm, since it was obvious that it wasn't farming.


	4. Act IV:  A Decision is Made

_Act IV: A Decision is made_

"So how many acres?" Clark asked curious to see how much land was not being used for farming.

"Oh well, how many acres do we have Martha?" Jonathan asked his wife, due to the fact that he spent most of his time in town. He especially avoided the financial aspect of either business, so Martha was the one that truly knew the answer to that question.

"Well, at last count, we have fifteen cabins on five acre lots so that is what seventy five acres there, then there are the twenty five acres for the stables, so that gets us up to one hundred and then we have the acres by the house and that is roughly about thirty five acres. So in total we have about one hundred thirty five acres of land here." Martha said watching as Clark's face lit up with glee at the thought of so much land.

"Stables and cabins" Clark asked after he had gotten his giddy under control.

"Yes, well being that this house only has two bedrooms and I wanted to run a bed & breakfast, we decided to buy some land and put cabins on them. People rent the cabins and come to the main house for any needs that they may have, so if they want dinner, then I cook dinner, if they need to make arrangement to go riding, then I set it up. It works out very well" Martha said beaming with pride at her business and how well it was doing. It seemed that the big city dwellers loved to come out to the country and relax from the everyday hustle and bustle of things and they seemed to be doing it at her business.

"Wow" Clark said awed that the woman in front of him was such a business guru.

"I thought so myself, and I am so very proud." Jonathan with pride in his voice, he had at the time thought she was off her rocker when she came to him asking to buy some extra land, and extra meaning fifty acres. He had about choked on the piece of pie that he had been eating at the time, when she laid out her business plan to him. That had been seven years ago and now the business was the main bread winner for their household, even though Jonathan was a practicing doctor there were cases where he would take nothing for treating a sick child or the poor elderly that lived in the town.

"Now that lunch is out of the way, would you like to see the land?" Martha said taking up the plates for the men sitting on the kitchen table.

"If you don't mind" Clark said also getting up to help Martha with the task for getting the kitchen clean. Everyone was very surprised that Clark was willing to help clean up, due to the fact that he had been raised with someone to take care of any household issues.

"Well, let's get going we got a lot of land to cover before I have to come back and get supper ready for the Taylor, Mullins and Bamo families." Martha said walking out the back door and out to the cart that sat near the barn. The four men followed her to the cart and hopped in, with Clark in the front next to Martha and Martin, James and Jonathan sitting on the bed in the back. Martha was just about to leave when Jonathan spoke.

"I think I'm going to stay here, just in case some one calls the house." James looked at his brother in surprise, before understanding where Jonathan was going with the situation.

"You little bro are a good man, I think I will stay and keep you company. We have lots to catch up on." James said nodding his head a bit to show that he understood what Jonathan was trying to do. Martin watched the play between the two and knew that they were up to something, so Martin decided to add his two cents.

"I think I will stay with them, you never know what kind of trouble those two get in when together." Martin said explaining to Clark that James and Jonathan should never be alone together.

"Well, either stay on or get out, Clark and I have some land to cover" Martha huffed at the men, with a smile on her face. She was grateful that they saw that she wanted to bond with Clark and she wanted to do it alone and this was her chance.

"Fine, fine, fine" Jonathan said kissing his wife on the cheek and then stood back, watching as the cart pulled off with only Clark and Martha in it.

"Think they'll be all right?" Jonathan asked after he could no longer see the cart.

"I think so, I really do" James said before going inside the house and relaxing in a chair in the living room. The three men spent the time that Martha and Clark were alone plotting how to keep the young man in Smallville. The quiet delight that he showed in his eyes was something that all three men were willing to fight to keep in those eyes. Martha on the other hand was thoroughly enjoying the quiet, yet very intelligent demeanor of Clark.

"….and over there is where the stables are located. I got that piece of land from a friend whose grandfather died and willed it to them. They hadn't wanted the stables or the land and knew that I would be willing to take both off their hands." Martha said driving the cart over to the stables where the town's people rented or used the horses inside.

"Amazing" Clark said thoroughly stunned by what he had seen as of yet.

"Clark, may I ask you a personal question?" Martha said while continuing to drive the cart off toward the last few cabins on the Kent land.

"Sure" Clark said worried that Martha would become disgusted with an answer he may give.

"What happened? I mean I know what James told us, but there is something missing, can you tell me what?" Martha said placing a hand on his before squeezing it and letting go. Clark took a deep breath before starting to tell Martha the part that James had not told them over the phone.

"Well, the baby's other father is pretty famous" Clark said looking out over the land in front of him and not seeing anything.

"What do you mean?" Martha had suspected something like this, but was surprised that she was right.

"Alexander Luthor is the baby's father; my brother was not a happy camper about that fact." Clark said with a sad chuckle before turning to face Martha, the sadness there made Martha want to hug the young man but she was uncertain on whether he would allow it or not.

"Oh Clark" Martha said before she decided to chance it and hug Clark. He took in Martha's warmth and caring like a sponge, a moment later Clark spoke again, about what had happened that night.

"My brother has/had a crush on Lex and well he told me to come and find him when I saw Lex. I don't exactly fit in, so I didn't know what Lex looked like before the party. So a guy approaches me, not any one near me, just me and we get to talking and he says his name was Lex well I didn't think that it was Alexander Luthor so one thing lead to another and then my brother found me in bed with Lex the next morning. He was yelling about how I had screwed Alexander Luthor, I was stunned but then sad because then I knew I would never see Lex again and I really thought we had something. Dunno maybe I'm being a hopeless romantic, but there was something there…." Clark finished with tears in his eyes. It always hurt when he told the story so he really hoped that he wouldn't have to say it again.

"Oh Clark" Martha said pulling Clark to her and holding him, Clark couldn't believe that such an amazing person as Martha didn't have any children of her own.

"Why don't you have any children?" Clark asked from the crook of Martha's neck.

"I had to have my ovaries removed when I was in my twenties due to the fact that there had been large cysts on them." Martha said hoping that Clark understood what she was saying.

"I'm sorry" Clark said lifting his head and showing her in his eyes that he was truly sorry.

"It's okay; I just hope that Jonathan and I can be the best parents and grandparents to you and that baby of yours." Martha said patting Clark's flat stomach.

"Nice abs" Martha said impressed with Clark body. Clark blushed before pulling back and laughing at the look on Martha's face.

"If I wasn't married" Martha said before sighing and putting the cart into drive to finish the tour of the land. It was thirty minutes later that Martha and Clark walked in to see the three men yelling at the TV for no apparent reason.

"It's not like they can hear you" Martha said coming and sitting on the edge of the chair her husband was sitting in.

"Dear, back so soon?" Jonathan said distracted when Martin groaned while looking at the TV.

"Jeez, why won't they just…." Jonathan stopped that line of thought when he saw the smile on both his wife and Clark's face.

"Hi" Clark said quietly so not to draw attention to himself.

"How was the tour?" Jonathan said keeping one eye on the baseball game that was in play.

"You have a lot of land" Clark said before coming into the room and sitting on the floor due to the lack of seating.

"Here" Jonathan said as he scrambled out of his seat to give it to Clark.

"I'm not dying or anything, just pregnant" Clark joked before getting off the floor and sitting in the chair that Jonathan had vacated just for him.

"Well, pregnant people get special privileges here" Jonathan said patting Clark on the shoulder, noticing that Clark actually leaned into the touch. Jonathan shot a look to his wife and saw her nod her head and beam at him. The rest of the day was spent with all five people talking about any and everything they could. When five o'clock came around it was time for Clark to make a decision on whether or not he would stay or go back to Metropolis.


	5. Act V:  Enter Clark Kent

Act V: Enter Clark Kent

A hot August afternoon in Smallville was not a good place to be, if you didn't have air conditioning in your car, house or business. It was especially nasty if you were a three month pregnant male trying to buy plants from the local nursery in the heat.

"Clark are you sure you want that many?" a woman asked.

"Yeah Sue, I think that would be a good start, it's not as if there isn't a ton of land to cover is there." Clark said smiling at Sue before taking out some money to pay the bill.

"Okay" Sue said skeptical that what Clark bought would keep in the Kansas soil.

"I'll call if I have any questions" Clark said smiling to the young woman before driving the loaded truck back to the farm. Clark smiled the whole way back to the farm due to the way that life had turned for him, since that fateful date three and a half months ago.

"Still can't believe it" Clark said to the inside of the empty cab of the truck. Clark had at the time thought that his life would only get worse, but living with the Kent family, things seemed to have only gotten better. Clark pulled up to the house and there sitting on the porch waiting for him was Martha.

"Clark" Martha said waving Clark over to the porch where she sat trying to keep cool in the heat.

"Mom" Clark said, before beaming a smile to Martha. It had taken just a couple of months for Clark to get into the hang of calling Martha, mom and Jonathan, dad but he felt that they were more this parents than the McBrides could have ever been.

"Take a load off, it's just too hot for you to be up and running around" Martha said shaking a finger at Clark.

"I know, I know" Clark said before relaxing on the porch swing for a rest.

"So when is your next visit?" Martha said running a hand over Clark's pretty much showing belly. She had thought that due to Clark's size that there may have been more than one baby, and she was anxious to find out if she was right.

"You know when it is, tomorrow at three" Clark said before sighing and relaxing with his head in Martha's lap.

"Good, because you are getting much too big. There must be more than one in there" Martha said before patting the belly in question and then laughing at the face that Clark pulled.

"You think?" Clark said looking up to Martha for her thoughts on the matter. The two had become very close from that first time that they were alone together; Jonathan was the perfect father but wasn't always around due to the practice being in town and not on the farm, like Martha had proposed before.

"I do, maybe a boy and a girl each, what do you think?" Martha said looking into Clark's eyes and seeing fear there.

"I don't think I should be gifted with something like that" Clark said smiling sadly at Martha. The Kents had not gotten what the McBrides had drilled into Clark out yet, but they were working on it.

"I think it would be wonderful" Martha said before patting Clark's belly again and saying.

"Two children are just what this farm needs" Martha said trying to make Clark understand that even if he was having twins that they wouldn't cart him off the farm.

"You're okay with that?" Clark said sitting up and looking at Martha face-to-face.

"Jonathan and I would be honored to have two little ones around, and with you being the father that just means when we tire of them we can send them back to you." Martha said laughing at the delight that Clark's eyes had shining out of them. It took so little to make Clark happy and Martha was always delighted to make Clark happy even if it was in the easiest of ways.

"Wow" Clark said beaming to Martha and then hugging her. He had noticed that his size was not normal for a pregnancy that held one baby, but for multiple, he now couldn't wait until the doctor's appointment.

"Good let's get you inside before Jonathan comes home and begins to press upon us yet again the dangers of you overheating." Martha said bringing the tray of empty glasses and pitchers into the house, while Clark held the door for his mother.

"We don't want to go through that again" Clark groaned out the words, the both of them had been subjected to a thirty minutes lecture apiece on the importance of Clark not over doing and/or being out in the sun too long. After the one time reminder, neither was eager to have a repeat of the lecture. Once inside Clark flopped down on the couch in the living room and closed his eyes, as of late he seemed to be overly tired but he wasn't too concerned since Jonathan didn't seem concerned about Clark's fatigue.

"Clark how about you take a nap, while I get supper ready" Martha said eyeing Clark in concern over his fatigue.

"Okay" Clark said hefting his body up and to his room, where he slept until Martha called him for dinner. Before that though, down stairs, Martha and Jonathan had a discussion about Clark and his condition.

"Should we be worried about his fatigue?" Martha said while cutting up some carrots that Clark had grown for them, organically of course.

"He's fine, I have no doubt that his fatigue is due to the stress that his body is under with multiple babies in the womb." Jonathan said sitting at the kitchen table peeling potatoes for the supper.

"So, you think there is more than one as well" Martha said spinning around to face her husband, happiness and concern warring with each other on her face.

"Sure, it's just a case of how many. I mean male pregnancy is rare enough, but multiple births are even rarer." Jonathan said shaking his head in amazement.

"I'll make sure that he is fine Martha or Martin and James will have my head both literally and figuratively." Jonathan said to his wife hoping to calm her down.

"They get you after I am done with you mister" Martha said pointing her knife at Jonathan with a very serious face.

"Okay, okay no need threaten me" Jonathan said raising his hands to shoulder height.

"Good" Martha said firmly before turning back around to continue to cut up the rest of the vegetables that were to be used for supper tonight. Soon after that Martha had called Clark down for supper, and the family ate with the other families that were staying on the farm for their summer vacation.

The next day dawned with the heat already welcoming in the new day. Records highs were expected and it looked as if there would be no trouble meeting them.

"Ready?" Martha asked Clark in the early afternoon, while both lounged in the air conditioned house.

"Sure" Clark said standing up and then making his way toward Martha's SUV that sat on the gravel drive. The ride in the car was short with Martha and Clark talking about the crops that Clark had planted as soon as he had settled down. Once to Jonathan's office, they were greeted by Charla the front desk woman.

"Hello Martha" Charla said in a pleasant voice, it was always good to see Martha because that meant that she had brought along some baked goods for the office.

"Charla, how are the kids?" Martha said putting the basket of muffins on the counter and making small talk with the woman behind the counter.

"Good, big can you believe this my oldest is going into their freshman year at the high school?" Charla said beaming with pride over her children.

"Good, good" Martha said watching as Charla unloaded the muffins to a plate and then set them out for people in the back office to take.

"So what brings you by today, besides the muffins?" Charla said now noticing Clark standing next to Martha, but off to the side.

"Clark here has an appointment with the good doctor" Martha said chuckling at the surprise on Charla's face.

"So you are the famous Clark Kent that Jonathan can't stop talking about?" Charla said coming from around the desk and circling Clark.

"Uh, yeah" Clark said looking to Martha for any sort of answers, Martha just shrugged and waited to see what Charla was going to say.

"Very good looking, but needs a little work on the midsection" Charla said patting the large bulge under Clark's baggy t-shirt.

"Charla, Clark is pregnant so I would hope that bulge is a good thing." Martha said counting down the seconds until Charla went off.

"Pregnant?" Charla squeaked and then passed out.

"Well, that went over well" Clark said looking down on the woman that was spread out on the floor.

"It did, didn't it? Let me go and get a glass of water" Martha said making her way to the back of the office for a cup of water that she knew Charla would need. By the time she arrived back, Charla was just waking.

"Here" Martha said helping Charla take a drink of water and help her up.

"Wow" Charla said eyeing Clark's stomach.

"I never thought I would see a man with Olanwsky's" Charla said taking Clark and Martha to a room so that Clark could be checked.

"I don't think Jon did either, will you let him know we are here?" Martha said sitting down in the set of chairs on the wall, while Clark sat on the papered table in the center of the room.

"Sure will" Charla said before speeding out of the room to find the good doctor. Clark didn't even get a chance to ask Martha a question about Charla, when Jonathan came in with a white lab coat over his faded red t-shirt and khaki pants.

"See you made it" Jonathan said coming in and closing the door.

"Yeah, Charla had a hard time finding out that Clark was pregnant" Martha said smirking at her husband, due to the fact that Charla would give him a tongue lashing later for not telling her about Clark's condition.

"Yeah, I think I am going to pay for that one." Jonathan said before going over to the sink in the room and washing his hands.

"Let's get this started" Jonathan said after washing and drying his hands so that he could begin his examination. A few minutes later it was time to have a sonogram of the baby or babies that lay inside of Clark. Charla rolled the cart in with a look of amazement on her face still due to the news that Martha had dropped on her. When Jonathan pointed out two heart beats, Clark cried while Martha beamed with pride. When Jonathan told them that it was a boy and a girl, Clark fainted dead away while Martha burst into tears at the news, Jonathan also had some tears, but tried to be professional at least until he could get home. When Clark had woken up, he was then taken back to the farm with Martha throwing out ideas of names for the babies.

"What do you think of the name…Sasha?" Martha said while waiting at a red light to change color.

"No, I want something that is….dunno" Clark said shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, do you have anything in mind" Martha said eyeing a bookstore up the street, seriously thinking about getting Clark a book of baby names.

"No, all I know is I don't want something that people are going to suspect." Clark said trying to get his point across, he hoped Martha understood.

"How about we go to that bookstore up there and get a book?" Martha said while pulling forward since the light had changed.

"That might help" Clark said before waiting to get out of the car and find a book of names for babies, he hoped that it would help because he was truly at a loss as to what to name one child, but now there were two that needed names. Once Martha had pulled up, Clark jumped out and made his way into the store with Martha on his heels. Ten minutes later both Martha and Clark exited the bookstore with two really thick books on names and their meanings. Clark flipped through the pages and told Martha some of the names that he found.

"How about Haley or Felicity for the girl?" Clark said looking at Martha waiting her reaction.

"Well" Martha said trying not to tell Clark that she wasn't a fan or either of them.

"Not a fan" Clark said before looking for male names.

"How about Robert or William for the boy?" Clark said not liking either; he wanted something that was just as unique as Lex's name was.

"Clark choose what you want; not what others think you should pick. The name may not even come from a book, but I thought it might help." Martha said as they pulled up to the side of the house.

"You're right" Clark said closing the book before putting it back in the bag and then going into the house. Martha followed Clark into the house and then into the kitchen. She then pulled out a pitcher of lemonade that she had made just that morning.

"Thirsty?" Martha said bringing a cup into the living room where Clark sat with the baby names book open.

"Sure" Clark said grabbing the glass and drinking the whole cup with out taking a breath.

"I'll get you more" Martha said before going off and bringing the pitcher back with her. The rest of the afternoon was spent with Clark bouncing names off of Martha, until Jonathan came in with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Wow, who are these for?" Martha said looking at the beautiful yet very expensive flowers.

"Seems that brother of mine thought that some congratulations were in order, and since he couldn't do it in person he sent these, straight from the garden at their house." Jonathan said passing the flowers over to Clark.

"For me?" Clark asked stunned that he would be getting something so beautiful.

"Sure are, Martin picked them out especially for you" Jonathan said watching Clark as he got emotional at the gesture.

"I should thank them" Clark said going over to the phone to call the other Kent family.

"Okay, I will be upstairs taking a shower. We are going out tonight" Jonathan said before walking up the front stairs to the bathroom. Clark was on the phone with Martin and James both and Martha made her way into the kitchen to see if any of the families were eating at the main house tonight. Martha was in luck because none of the families had requested dinner today, so she made her way upstairs to shower and change as well, that left Clark on the phone with James and Martin discussing names. Thirty minutes later both Martha and Jonathan came downstairs to see Clark reading the book of names.

"Ready?" Martha called from the last step with her husband two steps up from her.

"Yeah" Clark said standing up and making his way toward the front door. Jonathan's red F-150 was parked behind Martha's blue Saturn Vue.

"I think we should take mine" Martha said looking for Jonathan to move the truck.

"All right, just a sec" Jonathan said before going down and moving the truck, now that the truck had been moved they all piled into Martha's car and made their way into town. Once they arrived into town all three piled out and into the cozy, yet popular dinning spot in town.

"How many?" a semi-bubbly girl asked the three Kents.

"Three" Jonathan said wondering why they asked that when you could see that there were three people.

"Smoking or non?" She asked while eyeing Clark, while Clark was totally oblivious to it all.

"Non, please" Martha said giving the hostess the evil eye; she would not have some bimbo try and put the moves on Clark.

"Right this way" the girl said after consulting the map of stations in the restaurant, as they walked by a table Jonathan heard his name being called.

"Jonathan….Jonathan Kent" a woman with brown hair with blonde highlights called out. Jonathan spun on his heels and came face-to-face with Nell Potter, aunt to Lana Lang the town's princess.

"Nell" Jonathan said with a tight smile on his face, he tried to avoid any sort of contact with her due to her wanting to always try and seduce him.

"And what are you doing here; out with the misses?" Nell said sliding up next to Jonathan and in his personal space, not noticing Martha or Clark both.

"Yes" Jonathan said moving back a bit only to run into Clark.

"Sorry about that Clark" Jonathan said putting a hand on Clark to steady him.

"It's okay" Clark said looking at the woman in front of him. He could honestly say that she was trying altogether too hard to look twenty five, when she so clearly was not.

"And who might this young man be here?" Nell said checking Clark out.

"Meet our son, Clark. Clark this is Nell Potter, she is the aunt to Lana Lang who goes to Smallville High where you will be going in the fall." Jonathan said trying to leave the area as soon as possible.

"Adopted or a love child" Nell said getting angry at the thought of Jonathan being with someone else that wasn't her, well besides Martha and she so did not count in Nell's book.

"Adopted" Jonathan said his voice getting tighter and tighter each time he spoke.

"It was nice to meet you" Clark said before walking off to the table where the hostess was standing looking impatient.

"Thanks" Clark said to the hostess before he sat down with his back toward Nell. Jonathan and Martha both took this as their queue to leave.

"Well, it was good seeing you again Nell" Jonathan said before leaving and not waiting for a response. Nell Potter was not a happy camper, but since she couldn't do anything at that point in time she would wait.

"Clark" Jonathan said sitting next to his wife, thinking that it was time to tell Clark about the dynamic that was Smallville.

"Yeah" Clark said squinting at the menu; since he had been in Smallville he had noticed that his vision had changed, so even with his glasses things were blurry.

"Are your eyes still bothering you?" Martha asked looking to Jonathan for an explanation.

"Yeah" Clark said pulling the menu just a bit closer.

"Must be the pregnancy" Jonathan said watching Clark fight with the menu.

"How about I order for you?" Martha said gently taking the menu from his hands.

"I think that might be best" Clark said and then sighed.

"I'll give Dr. Cuthbert a call when we get home, and see about getting you some different glasses." Jonathan said trying to make Clark feel better.

"Okay" Clark said before bringing out the baby names book and squinting at it.

"What is that there?" Jonathan said before pointing to the book and waving for a server to come and take their order.

"Baby names" Clark said holding up the book to show the title to Jonathan. Jonathan glanced at the book and then ordered for all three; once the server was gone Jonathan focused his attention fully on Clark.

"Baby names, huh?"

"Yeah"

"Any luck?"

"Not yet, I haven't seen anything that just calls to me." Clark said feeling like a huge dork for saying what he said.

"Well, are there any that you like?" Jonathan said hoping the Clark had at least made it that far.

"Sure"

"Well, let's hear them" Jonathan said sounded eager.

"Well, I like the name Lesley….and there is Ethan, but I just think that they won't fit." Clark said shrugging his shoulders undecided on anything.

"Well, it sounds like a start" Jonathan said and then began to eat the salad that the server had just placed down. The rest of the dinner went on with either Martha or Jonathan agreeing or disagreeing on names, when they left they all had smiles on their faces due to some of the names and stories behind some of the names. Just as they were exiting the diner, Clark ran into a blonde blur spilling coffee all over Clark and the other person.

"I'm sooooo sorry" Clark said to the woman looking down at her now coffee stained shirt.

"It's okay. I didn't like this shirt much anyway, and at least it wasn't hot that could have caused some problems." The blonde headed woman said, and then looking up at Clark. When her eyes met Clark, her mouth dropped open.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Clark asked truly concerned over the other person's behavior.

"Fine, fine…..I'm Chloe Sullivan by the way." Chloe said thrusting out her other hand for Clark to shake.

"Clark Kent" Clark said with ease, each time he said it he got a thrill that someone had wanted him.

"Nice to meet you" Chloe said not even noticing the two Kents standing behind Clark laughing at the girls behavior, pretty much every woman in town that met Clark drooled over him and Chloe was no exception.

"So, where do you work?" Chloe said checking out Clark's frame.

"Oh, well, I am still in high school"

"Huh" Chloe asked confused, she was certain that the man before her was at least twenty one or older.

"I'm a sophomore in high school" Clark said slowly to Chloe.

"How old are you?" Chloe blurted out.

"Fifteen" Clark said blushing at the admission.

"Wow" Chloe mumbled before shaking herself out of the shock she had.

"Well, I am working at the Ledger for the rest of the summer and then I am going to manage the Torch at the high school, so I might see you around school." Chloe said looking hopeful at the idea of seeing Clark again.

"Okay" Clark said ducking his head, due to his embarrassment and tiredness.

"Come on Clark" Martha said surprising Chloe.

"Oh I'm sorry to have kept you" Chloe said truly looking sorry.

"It's okay" Clark said before making his way over to Martha's car.

"See you" Clark said before getting in the back seat for the ride back to the farm. As soon as the Kents pulled off Chloe spoke to the night air.

"I gotta tell Lex about him." Once said she bounced her way over the local coffee bar for another frappuccino. Chloe arrived to the coffee bar with thoughts of Clark on her brain.

"Another frappuccino" Chloe said slapping her hand down on the counter.

"Didn't I just sell you one?" An older woman with gray streaks in her hair asked Chloe.

"Sure did, and as you can see by the status of my shirt it didn't get anywhere near my mouth." Chloe said shaking her blonde locks at the situation.

"Oh dear" the woman said before going off and starting another frappuccino for Chloe.

"I'll be at terminal twenty five" Chloe said pointing to the open computer that lined the coffee bar.

"Okay, and this one's on the house" the woman said before laughing and watching Chloe walk off. Chloe sat down at the computer and immediately signed onto her IM, she noticed that the person she wanted to talk to was on, lucky her.

_Snarky_reporter says: hola my bald friend!_

_Destinys_foil says: Chloe what have I told you about calling me bald?_

_Snarky_reporter says: That if I value my life and livelihood that I should stop calling you that?_

_Destinys_foil says: And yet you continue to do so, why?_

_Snarky_reporter says: because you don't do anything to stop me. ;) And because you love me?_

_Destinys_foil says: so what did I do to have the pleasure of your company on the IM this evening? *smirks*_

_Snarky_reporter says: Awww Lex don't be that way, I was looking for you specifically. *grins*_

_Destinys_foil says: why?_

_Snarky_reporter says: because I just met this Greek god here in Hicksville, USA_

_Destinys_foil says: really, details_

_Snarky_reporter says: well since you won't let me call you bald, I don't know if I should…._

_Destinys_foil: Chloe!_

_Snarky_reporter says: Fine, it isn't like I would hold back on you anyway. Well he was amazing, and you know it takes a lot to get my attention. Well spilling something on me will do that and he did, but….._

_Destinys_foil says: So let me figure this out. You were, where doing what and this "Greek god" runs into and spills what over who?_

_Snarky_reporter says: Awww Lex you know me so well. Well I was on my way to the crap hole they call my apartment after getting a frappuccino and he was just leaving with his family from a restaurant. 15 can you believe that? 15 years old and he looks as if he is 21 or 25, amazing I tell you. Well we run into each other, literally and so I spilled coffee all over the both of us, well at the time I wasn't paying attention so when I look up when he makes sure I was okay, there it was Michelangelo's David, just gorgeous._

_Destinys_foil says: Chloe calm down….deep breaths now. Did you get a name of the train that hit you?_

_Snarky_reporter says: Yeah….Clark didn't get the last name._

_Destinys_foil says: Clark?_

_Snarky_reporter says: yeah, why? what's wrong? It's a nice name, he was nice to me._

_Destinys_foil says: Chloe remember that party about three months ago for graduation, which I told you about._

_Snarky_reporter says: Sure you wouldn't shut up about it for days; that is where you found my little brother making out with some guy that wasn't you._

_Destinys_foil says: and do you remember what I told you happened?_

_Snarky_reporter says: of course Lex, what do you take me for a blonde? You hooked up with some guy named Clark and you did the nasty. Got it right? I don't see the problem._

_Destinys_foil says: read what you just wrote to me and tell me what is wrong, you Chloe Sullivan are having a blonde moment._

_Snarky_reporter says: I still don't see the problem, and I'll have you know that just because I am blonde doesn't make me retarded._

_Destinys_foil says: I'm going to have to spell it out for you aren't I? And of course not Chloe, we know._

_Snarky_reporter says: of course!_

_Destinys_foil says: The guy as you so eloquently put it that I did the "nasty" with - his name was Clark, and the guy you ran into was named Clark. Coincidence?_

_Snarky_reporter says: Must be, because I am pretty sure that you said that Clark's last name was McBride and the two people who were with him were not the McBride matriarch or patriarch._

_Destinys_foil says: Chloe_

_Snarky_reporter says: Lex, look I know you want to find him. I want to find him too, but since you aren't getting anywhere with calling I say leave it alone for the time being. You are after all in the great state of New Jersey, home of hot Italian gay men._

_Destinys_foil says: I don't want any of those men, I want Clark McBride_

_Snarky_reporter says: well this reporter is on the beat and I don't think that this is your guy; he seemed pretty comfortable with his parents. I would think that if Clark isn't with the McBride's any more that any place he stayed he would be uncomfortable, and that was not something he was projecting._

_Destinys_foil says: will you just check?_

_Snarky_reporter says: are you, Lex Luthor, scion of LuthorCorp asking little ol' me to help you?_

_Destinys_foil says: Chloe_

_Snarky_reporter says: Ok, ok sorry. I will find out what I can. Your Clark affected you that much?_

_Destinys_foil says: Yeah, he did. I feel really badly about just leaving him with his brother yelling at him, but you know Lionel would have my head if he found out I stayed at the Ross' house_

_Snarky_reporter says: I think it is sweet and I know Lex does sweet; Alexander Luthor does not, though._

_Destinys_foil says: You know me so well, Chloe._

_Snarky_reporter says: so since I am talking to you, how is Tate taking college life?_

_Destinys_foil says: He's not; shortly after getting here he came to my dorm room crying for me to take him back. He said and I quote "am the light of his life and his everything" I told him that if that was the case that he wouldn't have been working his technique with Sidle_

_Snarky_reporter says: Oooooh, bitchy_

_Destinys_foil says: Chloe_

_Snarky_reporter says: sorry, continue_

_Destinys_foil says: So then he throws the fact that I was with someone at the party as well, but I pointed out the fact that he was my "date" and that I didn't want to go in the first place and went because he had wanted to go._

_Snarky_reporter says: Didn't like that too much I take it?_

_Destinys_foil says: no, but he conceded the point and is now in the process of "wooing" me back. I have told him it is not going to happen, but he's got bite, I give you Sullivan's that. Once you Sullivan's decide on something you make it happen, what Tate doesn't realize is that Luthor's never bow to anyone._

_Snarky_reporter says: I think you need to make a correction…you bow only to Clark McBride_

_Destinys_foil says: I do not!_

_Snarky_reporter says: Lex you are looking for a one night stand, you are bowing and bowing so low your nose is touching the ground. Just admit it, I won't tell anybody, my brother refuses to speak to me because I am "friends" with you._

_Destinys_foil says: Fine, I concede to bowing for Clark McBride, and you will be on the lookout for him._

_Snarky_reporter says: if he comes to Hicksville, USA you will be the first to know._

_Destinys_foil says: thank you Chloe_

_Snarky_reporter says: any time, now how is college life treating you?_

_Destinys_foil says: Good, fencing practice takes up a lot of my time now but when classes begin and I get into the roll of things I should be good._

_Snarky_reporter says: I told you college was a good life experience_

_Destinys_foil says: says the person who quit for a year to "find themselves"_

_Snarky_reporter says: don't knock it until you've tried it_

_Destinys_foil says: well I have to go, fencing practice is about to start and I haven't even left yet_

_Snarky_reporter says: then I won't keep you. I will talk to you later_

_Destinys_foil says: keep me posted….I mean that Sullivan!_

_Snarky_reporter says: Bye and have fun! *waves*_

_Destinys_foil says: bye_


	6. Act VI:  The Life of Lex Luthor

_Act VI: The Life of Lex Luthor_

Once Lex had signed off, Chloe leaned back in her chair and then began to think about how best to find out what had happened to one Clark McBride. Lex on the other hand was making his way over to Dillon Gym for practice, as he walked he thought about his short time with Clark McBride. Clark had listened to him when he needed it most and he had truly enjoyed the conversation with the teen, the looks were just an added bonus. Lex had figured out quickly that just because the body was beautiful the soul and mind may not be, and it was a pleasant surprise to get both with Clark. Lex sighed again over the parting that had occurred the next morning, he honestly didn't think that he would pounce the younger man, but with things flowing the way they were; he did, and now he was paying the price. He was pining away for someone that he couldn't seem to find, even with whom he was and that was saying something. He had tried calling the McBride residence a week after the incident and all he got was Scott McBride talking about "meeting up" and "hanging out." Lex had heard what Scott yelled at Clark and it wasn't about him monopolizing on Lex's intellect, no Scott just wanted in Lex's pants and his younger brother had beaten him to it. Although Lex was certain that Clark didn't even realize who he was talking to at the time, because as soon as Scott said those two word "Alexander Luthor" the surprise was written on Clark's face. Lex shook off the thoughts of Clark and finding him, because he had arrived to the gym where Tate Sullivan was waiting near the door. Lex about groaned out loud at the look on Tate's face. It had seemed since Lex had broken up with Tate, that the guy was around more than before and that wasn't a good thing because that limited him to searching for Clark and he really, really wanted to find Clark. Even if it was to make a cleaner break, he just needed to either see or hear from Clark again.

"Alex" Tate said walking up besides Lex. Lex hadn't allowed Tate to call him Lex, because right off the bat he hadn't felt what he felt for Clark when they just met.

"Tate" Lex said in a tight voice, he so didn't want to be dealing with him right now but due to the fact that Tate was also trying out for the fencing squad there was nothing he could do to avoid the man. Unless he wanted to quit or not be on the team and if any body was going to be quitting or not making it, it was going to be Tate.

"So what are you doing tonight? Are you going to the meet and greet session for the fencing squad?" Tate said looking hopeful and smug about the gathering. Lex could only shake his head at Tate's attitude. A party was the reason why they were broken up in the first place and here he was trying to get Lex to go to another one.

"No Tate, I think I am going to pass"

"Why?" Tate whined to Lex. Lex hated whiners and Tate was definitely a whiner, he didn't understand how he didn't see it before. It must have been the thought that Tate was a Sullivan and there for some what like Chloe and their father, which he wasn't.

"I have something to do"

"What? Alex classes haven't even started, what are you doing that can be more important than the meet and greet for the fencing squad?"

"Don't worry about it; I will let the captain know that I am unavailable to come due to a prior engagement. Is that acceptable to you Tate?" Lex said, his voice hard due to the fact that he had to explain himself to Tate. He was just now realizing that he had done that, the short time that he was with the other man, and he was unwilling to fall into that hole again.

"Alex, I know you're lying, we got here at the same time and I know you don't know any body on this campus, so you aren't going to be doing anything. This is important!" Tate said waving his arms about as they stopped at the double doors that lead to the fencing practice room.

"Tate it is not your concern what I do or don't do and you would do well to remember that. Due to you not knowing what my plans are, how are you to say that I am not meeting my father for dinner because he is in town? Would you like me to cancel that so that I may go to this party?" Lex said getting in Tate's face and making him understand that Lex was a Luthor and there were reasons why you don't cross or make them angry.

"Alex" Tate whined again and the noise grated on Lex's nerve. Lex decided that he'd had enough, so he spun around and walked into the fencing practice room where four people stood together talking. As soon as he entered the room one of the people disengaged from the group and made their way over to Lex. Lex was trying to calm his nerves because he would not mess up in practice because of Tate, he had done that once and he had lost the bout against their rival, he wasn't going to do that again.

"Luthor" the person who had disengaged from the group of four said to Lex. Lex turned and came face-to-face with Ryder Cornwall the men's fencing team's captain.

"Cornwall" Lex said with respect in his voice, he had heard nothing but good things about the Cornwall family and he wasn't about to burn any bridges yet.

"The fencing squad is having a little meet and greet of all the new members" Ryder said smiling a bit at Lex, he too had heard things about the name Luthor and all of it weren't roses but he was willing to give Lex a chance. No one was their father, and Ryder knew from personal experience that it was hard to break away from a legacy.

"Tate Sullivan just told me about it. I am sorry but I won't be able to attend" Lex said calmly now that he had gotten his nerves soothed.

"I understand, it was nothing formal but it would have been nice to have you there." Ryder said smiling at Lex again; Lex couldn't seem to shake the feeling that Ryder actually wanted him there.

"Can I speak to you off the record?" Lex said looking over Ryder's shoulder to see Tate sneering at Ryder's back.

"Sure" Ryder said turning a bit and catching where Lex had directed his gaze.

"I would be willing to come if a certain person were to say be uninvited or told the incorrect location." Lex said trying to convey the total dislike he had for Tate Sullivan at this point in time.

"It would be most grievous of us to give someone an incorrect location, but if we were to change the location at the last moment and were unable to notify the following person, well we can't do anything about that. Now can we?" Ryder said nodding his head; saying that he understood perfectly what Lex was requesting.

"It would be most appreciated" Lex said eyeing Tate again.

"So, what did he do to get the "Luthor wrath" upon him?" Ryder said truly curious as to what Tate Sullivan had done to Alexander Luthor for Lex to dislike the young man so much.

"We were…ah companions for a short time before and after graduation, a party was set for all graduating seniors and Tate lured me to go and well it seemed that I was not enough of a companion for him and he looked elsewhere and at the party. I happened to find him in the act of horizontal bouting with a fellow fencer from the squad; needless to say it was something that I don't want to replay again. I have no doubt that Tate will try to have me in a horizontal bout with him at this meeting." Lex said before noticing that most of the people were here for practice.

"That is an unacceptable practice and will be taken into consideration when final slots are filled. We like a well rounded individual to fill our team and that is in every aspect of their life not just fencing. Thank you Alexander for bringing that to my attention." Ryder said before Lex responded.

"I thank you, and please call me Lex. The only person who uses my whole name is my father, and Tate uses Alex since most people in our high school were too afraid to ask me what I would like them to call me. Even Tate hasn't asked, so I would appreciate it if you call me Lex."

"And you may call me Ryder, most call me Cornwall because I am the captain and I have authority and that is their sign of showing me respect, but you Lex Luthor have earned my respect so call me Ryder." He said before turning and making his way over to the group of three that had been talking amongst themselves, as soon as Ryder walked off Tate came bounding over to talk to Lex again.

"So, what did Cornwall have to say? Did he ask you to the meet and greet?" Tate asked excited about Lex's response.

"He did" Lex said suiting up for practice as well as most of the others in the room.

"And" Tate whined one more time, it was then that Lex snapped.

"Don't worry about it, you are not my keeper" Lex said before grabbing his foil and walking away from the stunned Tate Sullivan. Lex had to smile at what he had said to Tate, maybe now he would tread softer while around Lex. Lex doubted it but he could hope. For the rest of the practice Tate steered clear of Lex, but always seemed to be close enough to Lex when he had a conversation with any one in the room, Lex had to wonder if any one else noticed this and when he got a head nod from not only from Ryder but also the two coaches, he knew that things would be taken care of. It was a good day for Lex Luthor, now if only he could find Clark McBride and start a meaningful relationship, life would be great. Lex exited the gym feeling like his life was finally his own, that was until the face of Scott McBride came into view.

"Alex" Scott said jogging over to where Lex was making his way over to his dorm room to drop of his equipment.

"McBride" Lex said voice tight once again; he so didn't want to be dealing with this McBride.

"I didn't know you were coming to Princeton" Scott said with a big cheesy smile on his face.

"And I didn't know you were coming to Princeton either" Lex said trying to escape.

"Oh, well, you know, grades were good enough and the soccer program is pretty good, so I figured I would give it a try. Far from home, I can tell you that." Scott said before laughing at some joke that Lex must have missed, because being away from home was a blessing and sin. His father had people every where so it wouldn't matter where he went, he would be watched it was just now he would not get the full effect of Lionel Luthor's wrath; it would have to be contained to phone calls, e-mails and maybe a personal visit if things got horribly out of control.

"So, got any plans tonight?" Scott asked hopeful that he would get into Lex's pants today.

"Yes I do" Lex said not giving any more information than that.

"Oh well, are you allowed to bring a guest?" Scott asked digging for details.

"I am uncertain as to the answer to that question, so I will go with no." Lex said properly, he could see that Scott was not happy about how this conversation was going.

"Are you sure, can't you ask? We could hang out….." Scott said trailing off at the end of the sentence due to Tate Sullivan running out of the building looking around frantically for Lex.

"Alex!" Tate shouted drawing Lex's and Scott's attention to the winded Tate Sullivan.

"Tate" both Scott and Lex said in an angry voice, but for totally different reasons.

"So you want me to pick you up?" Tate said not even saying hello to Scott.

"No, because I am not going, did you not hear in me in the gym?" Lex said trying to think of a way to get rid of both men in front of him now. He was saved by another voice.

"Lex" Ryder said jogging over to the three.

"Ryder" Lex said with a hint of relief in his voice.

"I need to speak with you" Ryder said before nodding to both boys and then walking away.

"If you will excuse me" Lex said before drawing away from the two and making his way over to Ryder.

"Thanks for the save" Lex said grateful for someone getting him away from those two.

"I take it the other you're not a fan of either?" Ryder said before laughing at Lex's face.

"No" Lex said disgust written all over his face.

"Is there anyone from your high school that you like?"

"Sure" Lex said smiling a bit at the thought of Clark.

"That is definitely a more than like face, Lex" Ryder is smiling at Lex, glad to see that Lex wasn't totally miserable.

"You could say that" Lex said looking over Ryder's shoulder to see Scott and Tate fighting about, he assumed him.

"Are you willing to give details?" Ryder said hoping to create a friendship with the latest Luthor at Princeton. He had liked his attitude right off the bat and now this was his opportunity to get to know the other young man better.

"Well, Scott McBride, the other one over there, has a brother Clark and well Clark is an amazing guy. That same party that I found Tate bouting with another fencer, I met Clark." Lex said his face clearly showing what happened to Ryder.

"So, I take it things aren't great between siblings now?"

"No, I waited about a week to contact Clark and since then all I get is the run around. I don't know what happened to him, but I want to find him even if it is to tell him that I am sorry for what happened between him and his family." Lex said concern coloring his voice, each day that Lex was unable to find Clark, Lex began to worry just that much more.

"Have you gotten help?" Ryder said concerned that something may have happened to the young man Clark.

"Well, Tate has a sister, Chloe, she and I are good friends and I have her on the case. She is all about news and being a reporter so I figure if any body can find Clark it would be Chloe. So far there is nothing about Clark, it is like he fell of the radar, the only time that I have heard the name Clark was today from Chloe in an IM. She had taken a year off to 'find herself' and she ran into, literally, a guy named Clark. She said that he was with two people that were not the McBride's so she doesn't think it is him, but she will check into it." Lex said before sighing because, both Scott and Tate were making their way over to where Lex and Ryder were talking. Ryder was unable to respond because Tate's voice washed over them, like nails on a chalkboard.

"Alex what is going on? He called you Lex; you have never been called Lex…." Tate said before being cut off by Scott.

"And what is the deal with you hanging out with him and not me? Is this because of my loser little brother? I told you don't you worry about him." Scott said smug about slamming his ex-little brother.

"Guys" Ryder said in a strong voice, both noticed and straightened up immediately.

"Do not concern yourselves over what Lex and I were talking about, and furthermore Lex asked me to call him that. Now if he hasn't told you to call him that or any other name, then you should call him Alexander since that is his name. So if you will excuse us, Lex and I have some pressing matters that need to be discussed." Ryder said before turning walking away with Lex at his side.

"Thanks" Lex said following Ryder over to a resident hall.

"My humble home" Ryder said once they entered the building and made their way to the top floor. Lex was impressed by the shear number of books lying around.

"A reader?" Lex said picking up a book and showing Ryder.

"You could say that. I like to keep up with past and current events. History major" Ryder said before plopping down in his desk chair and shaking his mouse to wake up his computer.

"So what am I here for?" Lex asked confused as to what they were about to do.

"Well, we are going to find your dream guy, of course" Ryder said swiveling in his chair.

"Oh, well all right" Lex said sitting down on the made bed and waiting for Ryder to start asking questions.

"Okay so we have a name Clark McBride….let's see what we can come up with." Ryder typed in the name into google and got multiple entries for the name.

"Well, we know he doesn't own his own business and he is younger than eighteen" Ryder said typing in some other information on another site.

"Oh my school has their year books online, we might be able to get a picture of him there" Lex said trying to remember the URL for the school.

"Well, you got a URL or name for this school of yours?" Ryder said getting excited about the search.

"Yeah Vanguard Preparatory School is my school name and the URL is .org" Lex said hoping that the year book was up so that he could at least get a glimpse of Clark. Ryder typed it in and when the page displayed he shouted.

"BAM" Ryder said as there on the page was a link to the year book.

"Year" Ryder asked, he turned around when his question wasn't answered right away. What he saw about broke his heart, the hope of Lex's face at seeing Clark was something that people who were only in love have.

"Lex, what year?" Ryder asked slower getting Lex's attention.

"Sorry about that" Lex said pinking up in the cheeks at being caught thinking about Clark.

"It's okay, love does that to a person." Ryder said with understanding coloring his voice. His boyfriend and he were so in love and he could only hope that Lex would find that kind of love with Clark and soon.

"Freshman, Clark was a freshman last year. He is supposed to be a sophomore this year" Lex said sadly due to the fact that he didn't know if he would ever see Clark in person again. Ryder clicked on the freshman linked and scrolled to the "M" section, and there with the name of Clark McBride was what Ryder would call a Greek god.

"Wow" Ryder said impressed.

"Yeah" Lex said standing up and looking at the picture of Clark. In the picture they had made him take his glasses off so you saw his eyes and face with out any sort of obstacles.

"Well, I am going to save this picture and we are going to find him for you, just so at least you know if he is okay." Ryder said right clicking and saving the picture of Clark to his hard drive. If he had to he would post the picture on a website to find the young man, Lex shouldn't have this sort of trouble finding him and that lead Ryder to believe that something had happened to the young man.

"Can you print that picture out?" Lex said before turning a bright red at the question.

"Sure" Ryder said softly before hitting print and printing the picture for Lex. A few moments later, Lex had a picture of Clark about the size of a wallet.

"Thanks for this" Lex said holding up the picture before putting it in this wallet as the first picture he would see when he opened it.

"No problem and we will find him, it might take some time but we will. I promise you that." Ryder said with conviction in his voice.

"Okay" Lex said now feeling a bit awkward about the situation and what he was to do next.

"Well, let's get going, every one has been notified of the change so we should probably get on our way." Ryder getting up and making his way toward the door, Lex followed and hoped that Ryder was right that they would find Clark and he would be okay.


	7. Act VII:  Meanwhile back at the Farm

_Act VII: Meanwhile back on the Farm_

Meanwhile, on the way back to the farm, Jonathan and Martha had been throwing baby names out the whole ride, with Clark not deciding on any of them.

"Well, I still like Nicholas" Martha said looking in the rearview mirror to see Clark's face on the name.

"I do too; I just don't think it will be a good first name for him. Nicholas for the middle name I can handle" Clark said agreeing that the name was at least on the list.

"Jonathan what do you think?" Martha said turning her head slightly to her husband.

"I think Clark has enough time to worry about names, and a decision doesn't need to be made tonight. If we come up with names that we think or even hear we will pass them on to Clark, how does that sound?" Jonathan said looking at Martha and Clark for any sort of agreement on the idea.

"Sounds good to me" Clark said patting his full stomach before closing his eyes for the rest of the trip with his hand protecting his two unborn children.

"Me too" Martha said before focusing completely on the drive. The rest of the trip was made in silence due to Clark falling asleep shortly after they had agreed to give names and see how Clark felt about them.

"Clark, we're home" Martha called before opening her door to the car.

"K" Clark said sleepily, he had been dreaming of Lex and he hoped that he hadn't done anything to embarrass himself. Once Clark made it in the house he quickly dashed for the stairs and to the shower so that he could relieve the problem that he had when he had woken up.

The next three months went by in the blur for both Clark and Lex. Clark was busy with his home schooling and growing his organic produce that the town had taken a shine to. It was during a visit to Jonathan's clinic that he ran, literally, into Chloe again.

"We need to quit meeting like this" Clark said to Chloe while trying to squat down and pick up the papers that she had dropped when they ran into each other.

"Clark!" Chloe said surprise written all over her face, due Clark's huge size.

"Hello" Clark said blushing due to the fact that Chloe was staring at his stomach.

"What happened to you?" Chloe said moving her hand to touch Clark's stomach but then thought better of it.

"Ah" Clark said hesitant to tell this stranger what was going on.

"You don't have to tell me; that was rude of me. I'm sorry" Chloe said feeling a bit put out that she was being so rude when the young man in front of her was trying to be nice.

"It's okay" Clark said waving his hand a bit to so that no harm was done.

"Well, to answer you question, I'm pregnant" Clark said waiting for Chloe to start yelling. Instead he got an amazed look on Chloe's face.

"Would you repeat that?" Chloe said wondering if she had heard what Clark said wrong.

"I'm pregnant" Clark said again blushing due to the reaction he was getting from Chloe.

"Oh Wow! Just wow." Chloe stuttered out of her mouth while looking at Clark in awe.

"How…I mean I know how but how?" Chloe babbled while trying to get herself under control.

"Olanwsky's syndrome" Clark said hoping that he wouldn't have to tell her all the details about the syndrome.

"Oh, I did a report on that in my Anat and Phys class" Chloe said recalling the information for her report that she did when she was a freshman in college.

"It would have been nice to know that I had it, before a slept with someone" Clark said blushing at the words coming out of his mouth and to whom.

"It's okay, I mean the test for it is like really super expensive and hard to do and since the syndrome is so rare they hardly ever do it" Chloe said explaining why most males were never tested in the first place.

"It still would have been nice" Clark said before moving out of the way of someone wanting to make their way passed.

"So, how far are you, because by the looks of you, you are pretty far along or having twins"

"Twins and six months" Clark said proudly with his hands resting on his large belly.

"Wow, so the delivery is coming up" Chloe said wondering if Clark would have to leave from Metropolis for delivery.

"Yeah, dad was just telling me my options for delivery." Clark said while beginning to get cold due to the weather outside, it was after all November and winter seemed to be rolling in quickly.

"So, that is why I haven't seen you at Smallville High" Chloe said making a move toward a warm building.

"Yeah" Clark said shifting on his pained feet.

"You want to have some hot cocoa or something?" Chloe said wanting to talk to Clark just a bit more.

"Sure" Clark said and then followed Chloe as she walked over to the internet café that he had only visited once or twice. Once they arrived Chloe took a table so that Clark wouldn't have to fight with the booth seats.

"So what are you having?" Chloe said looking at Clark as he read the menu of drinks that they had.

"Probably just a hot cocoa. Can't have too much caffeine or did you mean the sexes of the babies." Clark said with a blush on his face before speaking to the server that had come over to the table to take their orders. Once the server left Chloe started her questions again.

"No, I meant do you know the gender?" Chloe said giggling a bit at the misunderstanding.

"A boy and a girl" Clark said beaming with pride.

"Any names yet?"

"No, not yet, some are in the running but we will see when it is time what I decide."

"So, what is it like?" Chloe said never thinking that she would meet a male that had Olanwsky's.

"Pretty amazing" Clark said amazed because he, himself was amazed at the turn of events, he was sad to not see Lex; but happy that he had just a bit of the man that had stolen his heart in such a short period of time.

"This is just amazing" Chloe said bouncing in her seat while talking to Clark. Clark had to laugh at the bubbly blonde and her attitude, he knew that most would think he was a freak but it seemed that Chloe didn't.

"So, when are you due to pop?"

"Oh, well, dad wants to wait until February, but I don't know if they will wait that long."

"Wow, so you have a while"

"Sure do"

"So what have you been doing, since you obviously aren't in school"

"Oh, well, I am a distance learner from the high school. I, by all rights, am a student I just never go in the building. My parents worked something out with the principal and superintendent of the schools and so my mom drops my work off and I am pretty much like any other student. When I am not doing that I am working on the crops that I grow."

"You grow crops?" Chloe said now even more amazed at the young man in front of her, if he wasn't so obviously gay she would be all over him, he was after all pregnant, no mistakes about that so she knew he wouldn't go for her. She was the wrong gender.

"Yeah, not much to do this time of year but in the summer I grew some of the produce that my mom uses for the meals at the farm." Clark said proud of his accomplishment.

"That's amazing Clark" Chloe said remembering a couple of times people commenting on the taste of some produce that came from the Kent farm.

"So what have you been up to?" Clark said taking a sip of his now semi-cooled cocoa.

"Well, I have been keeping myself busy with working at the Ledger and being the mentor at the Torch, I don't seem to have much time to do much else."

"You sound busy" Clark said leaning back in the chair due to the tiredness that had just struck him.

"I am; I never knew that running a school newspaper would be so much work. I barely have had time to IM a friend of mine that is college now." Chloe said thinking about the last time that she had spoken with Lex and how he was doing. The last that she had heard was that Tate and Scott had gotten into a fight at some party and had managed to get them selves stuck in the ER at the local hospital. Gabe Sullivan had not been happy when he heard about Tate not only getting into a fight, but also getting hurt in said fight.

"Well, I think I better start heading back" Clark said before standing and taking out his wallet to pay for his cocoa.

"It's okay, it's on me" Chloe said fishing the money out of her purse and putting it on the table.

"Not this time" Clark said laughing and gesturing at Chloe's shirt that didn't have any coffee or anything else on it.

"I guess not" Chloe said laughing at Clark's corky joke.

"I will pay" Chloe said to clarify to Clark that she was paying the small tab.

"Sure?" Clark asked making sure that he wasn't taking advantage of the young woman.

"Absolutely sure" Chloe said before walking out with Clark. As Clark and Chloe walked back to where they met, Chloe had a thought.

"Clark is it all right if I call you some time?"

"Sure, nothing for you to do here?" Clark said joking about the life in Smallville as compared to life in Metropolis, and if Clark could say one thing about Chloe it was that she screamed Metropolis.

"Not so much, no" Chloe said before grabbing a pen and paper from her purse and thrusting them into Clark's hands. Clark scribbled the number down and then handed it back to Chloe.

"Talk to you later" Chloe said before waving and making her way back to her house so that she could IM Lex to get an update on life at Princeton. The walk for Chloe was a short one and when she signed on "Destinys_foil" was on.

Snarky_reporter says: Lex, long time no hear. I am almost beginning to wonder if you love me

Destinys_foil says: Chloe that will never happen. I've been busy

Snarky_reporter says: So where have you been? I was getting worried, especially when Tate ended up in the ER.

Destinys_foil says: Tate and Scott were trying to woo me with their behavior. It was sorely lacking

Snarky_reporter says: That isn't why I'm here

Destinys_foil says: I didn't figure that you were, so what does the great Ms. Sullivan want?

Snarky_reporter says: I wanted to update you on the hot guy here in Hicksville, USA

Destinys_foil says: Yes?

Snarky_reporter: Well would you believe that he is pregnant?

Destinys_foil says: You have to be kidding me, Olanwsky's Syndrome in Hicksville and I am not there

Snarky_reporter says: Is that disappointment in Lex Luthor's voice?

Destinys_foil says: Don't push me Sullivan.

Snarky_reporter says: Sorry, sorry…well he is about six months along with twins if you can believe it

Destinys_foil says: Chloe how do you meet these people?

Snarky_reporter says: Just lucky I guess

Destinys_foil says: Or something like that.

Snarky_reporter says: That isn't why I wrote

Destinys_foil says: Make it quick because Ryder is coming over to get me for practice

Snarky_reporter says: I won't keep you too long, but you gotta promise to IM the minute you get in the door.

Destinys_foil says: I will, but what do you have to tell me? Chloe I know you well enough to know that you are hiding something.

Snarky_reporter says: Oh well, I was just going to give you an update on the Clark McBride hunt.

Destinys_foil says: Spill I don't have all day.

Snarky_reporter says: Okay, okay, no need to get snippy. I haven't seen hide or hide of Clark McBride, now Clark Kent I have.

Destinys_foil says: Who is Clark Kent? You aren't making sense

Snarky_reporter says: Fine be like that, Clark Kent is the one that is six months pregnant.

Destinys_foil says: Interesting

Snarky_reporter says: what is?

Destinys_foil: Have to run, bye

Lex wrote before signing off at his dorm room. He made his way down the stairs and to a car with Ryder Cornwall and co-captain, Jourdan Guevara sitting in the car waiting for Lex.

"Hello" Lex said as he threw his bag in the backseat of the car.

"Lex" both men said in unison, the two of them decided that they were going to be Lex's brother and brother-in-law; they just hoped that Lex would allow that.

"So why were you late?" Ryder asked as he pulled off and drove to Dillon Gym for practice.

"Was IM-ing a friend from back in Metropolis" Lex said looking out the window and wondering when the first big snow would hit. It, of course, had snowed but nothing that had stuck to the ground, that was something that Lex was not looking forward to, the Northeastern blizzards.

"So what did they have to say?" Ryder said hoping that the person was also helping in the search for Clark McBride. When he had been unable to come up with something, Lex was becoming more and more odd in his behavior.

"Oh she met a guy in Smallville that is pregnant" Lex said still staring out the window, he was depressed and angry that he couldn't seem to find Clark.

"Wow, Olanwsky's; I would sooo like to talk to them" Jourdan said bouncing in his seat. He was a pre-med student and he wanted to specialize in OB/GYN and male pregnancy.

"I can ask Chloe" Lex said smiling a bit at the thought of talking to a pregnant male.

"Please" Jourdan said making pitiful puppy dog eyes.

"I will check when I get back to my dorm" Lex said getting out of the car now that they were at the gym.

"Grrrrrreat" Jourdan said before walking with Ryder and Lex into the gym. Shortly after they arrived practice started and Lex imagined the life he could have with Clark, if he would be able to find him. When practice finished Lex followed Ryder and Jourdan out of the building and that is where they met with Tate Sullivan.

"Alexander" Tate yelled running up to the group. Ever since Ryder had said to address Lex as Alexander unless other wise told, Tate had followed instructions and now called Lex, Alexander.

"Tate" Lex said turning around to see what the other man wanted. Tate hadn't made the squad due to his poor form on and off the mat.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to do something tonight….Delta Sigma Theta is having a huge party tonight" Tate said with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Sorry I have an exam I have to study for"

"It can wait; come ooooon. We don't ever do anything together now, and we're still going out" Tate said with a triumphant look on his face.

"In whose mind? Yours? I don't think so, Tate you were all over Brody Sidle and you expect me to be fine with that?" Lex asked, stunned that Tate would even suggest such a thing,

"Well, you were with someone too, it was all a mistake and I am willing to take you back" Tate said looking gracious about taking Lex back.

"No thanks, I think I will pass on that." Lex said before walking to catch up with Ryder and Jourdan.

"Tate Sullivan is…." Ryder didn't get to finish the sentence due to Tate running up to Lex.

"Alex don't be like this"

"Tate don't whine, it's over. Find Brody Sidle and be happy or whatever with him. I am through with you" Lex said before getting in the now unlocked car with Ryder and Jourdan waiting. Tate was left standing on the sidewalk with his mouth hanging open. He had thought that once Lex had cooled down that things would be fine and they could pick back up where they left off.

"You all right there?" Ryder asked as he drove back to Lex's dorm room.

"Fine" Lex said while taking deep breaths to calm him self down. A short time later, the three of them arrived to Lex's dorm room door. Lex unlocked the door and made a bee line for the closet so that he could put his equipment away.

"Nice" Jourdan said before going and standing next to Ryder, his hands in his pockets.

"My father felt I needed the 'true college experience' and that included a dorm, with no roommate." Lex said grimacing at the idea of his father having some sort of concern over his life in college. He knew the secret meaning in this gesture, 'screw up and you are coming home' and that was one thing that Lex didn't want to do right now, go home.

"So are you going to IM that girl?" Jourdan said moving about the room.

"Sure, let me just put this away" Lex said finishing putting away the fencing gear and making his way over the desk that his laptop sat upon. Once Lex signed on, he saw that Chloe, a.k.a Snarky_reporter, was on.

Destinys_foil says: Chloe, you there? 

Snarky_reporter says: Lex! So you decided to come out and play?

Destinys_foil says: Chloe, you wound me

Snarky_reporter says: yeah right, so what's up in the land of Princes

Destinys_foil says: Nothing much, been busy with classes and practice.

Snarky_reporter says: well my brother seems to find plenty of time to party

Destinys_foil says: and he is failing all of his classes along with Scott McBride from what I hear.

Snarky_reporter says: How do you find these things out?

Destinys_foil says: I'm a Luthor, which should explain everything *smirks*

Snarky_reporter says: Don't you dare smirk at me Lex Luthor, or I might come over there and kick your ass

"Ouch" Jourdan said while reading over Lex's shoulder as he IM-ed Chloe.

"And she would too" Lex said smiling at the thought of Chloe coming up to kick his ass.

Destinys_foil says: Fine, fine…..I'm not smirking

Snarky_reporter says: The day I believe that is the day my brother actually graduates from Princeton with honors.

Destinys_foil says: Is that any way to treat your brother?

Snarky_reporter says: it is when he gets into fights with Scott McBride.

Destinys_foil says: Speaking of McBride's, have you found out anything more on Clark McBride?

Snarky_reporter says: You have it bad…..but I do have a bit of information that I don't know how helpful it will be.

Destinys_foil says: Well don't leave us in suspense over here

Snarky_reporter says: Us, who is us?

Destinys_foil says: Well it is Ryder, Jourdan and I, Jourdan wants to speak to you about something, but well he's cheap and bums a ride from Ryder all the time so that is how he found out what he wants to know.

"Ow" Lex said rubbing his upper arm, due to Jourdan punching him there.

"I am not cheap" Jourdan said before trying to push Lex over to talk to Chloe.

"Oh no you don't" Lex said pushing him back to his original spot, just in time to get an IM from Chloe.

Snarky_reporter says: you are a regular party animal, don't let my brother find out

Destinys_foil says: he wasn't happy when I left with them and not him

Snarky_reporter says: Now I am going to hear all about it aren't I?

Destinys_foil says: Nah, he's going to a party to get laid and plastered

Snarky_reporter says: Even better, so about this news I have to tell you

Destinys_foil says: Yes, we did get off topic didn't we?

Snarky_reporter says: Always so proper, yeah anyhoo…..Well I have found out from a reliable source that Clark McBride is no longer residing with the McBride's.

Destinys_foil says: How did you find this out, Chloe?

Snarky_reporter says: Oooooh, jealous I found out before you?

Destinys_foil says: Chloe don't go there

Snarky_reporter says: okay, okay…..Well I overheard Jessie McBride, while I was in Met for the weekend saying that her youngest brother was no longer living with them. Her friends seemed really sad about it

Destinys_foil says: He's mine!

Snarky_reporter says: Possessive much?

Destinys_foil says: Yes, so did she say why

Snarky_reporter says: No; just that her parents said that Clark was no longer part of the family and that they need not worry about him

Destinys_foil says: Do you think it had anything to do with me?

Snarky_reporter says: Couldn't tell you, but if Scott McBride had his way, it might. Dunno *shrugs*

Destinys_foil says: Thanks Chloe, I owe you

Snarky_reporter says: That you do; so about these two boys

Destinys_foil says: Ah yes, Jourdan and Ryder

Snarky_reporter says: What's their deal

Destinys_foil says: I hear you know someone with Olanwsky's

Snarky_reporter says: and who might this be, because I know it isn't Lex

Destinys_foil says: Jourdan Guevara

Snarky_reporter says: Nice to meet you, and yes I do know someone with Olanwsky's, six months along actually, with twins.

Destinys_foil says: You have to be kidding me, I gotta meet this guy

Snarky_reporter says: Well I can check and see if he would want to talk to someone about it

Destinys_foil says: Please! *begging*

Snarky_reporter says: I'll see what I can do, let me get your e-mail address so if he does, he can write you.

Destinys_foil says: Okay, Jourdan_

Snarky_reporter says: Do I even want to know

Destinys_foil says: Well I am from Dallas and there is a street spelled like my name and it is a Way, so I thought it was cute. Ryder didn't but his is as bad as mine.

Snarky_reporter says: And what is his?

Destinys_foil says: Night_, see?

Snarky_reporter says: *sighs* Men

Destinys_foil says: Well Chloe we gotta go

Snarky_reporter says: Bye Lex, Jourdan and Ryder *waves*

Destinys_foil says: Bye

"She is ….interesting to say the least." Ryder said looking at the IM screen with amusement in his eyes.

"That she is" Lex said closing the screen and making his way toward the door.

"Ready" Lex asked when neither Jourdan nor Ryder moved.

"Yeah" they said in unison and then made their way over to where Lex was standing. Chloe on the other hand sat at her desk with an amused smile on her face.

"Chloe?" a voice called out.

"In here" Chloe said wondering who would be at the Torch this late on a Friday night. Clark stuck his head in the room and waved.

"Hey" Clark said making his way now into the room.

"Clark so good to see you, I was just talking to a friend of mine about you"

"Oh" Clark said curious to see what Chloe would say about him.

"They were pretty jealous that I knew someone who had Olanwsky's" Chloe stated smugly.

"Really?" Clark asked hesitant, but hopeful that other people wouldn't find him a freak, like the McBride's did.

"Really, they gave me their e-mail if you feel up to e-mailing or IM-ing and talking about it" Chloe said writing the e-mail address down for Clark, from the open IM screen.

"There you go" Chloe said while handing the slip of paper to Clark.

"Thanks" Clark said reading the e-mail address on the paper.

"Jourdan Way?" Clark asked confused about the name.

"I was told that it is a street name in Dallas, and the guy just so happens to spell his name the same way and be from Dallas."

"Oh all right then" Clark said before sticking the slip of paper in his pocket.

"So what can I do for you?" Chloe said spinning around in the desk chair.

"Ah, I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner. Mom is making a ton of food and told me to ask if you wanted to come" Clark said his cheeks turning red at the question he was asking Chloe.

"Sure, free good food; count me in" Chloe said before shutting down the laptop and packing it away.

"Lead on my good man" Chloe said bouncing out behind Clark to the parking lot.

"You know where the farm is, don't you?" Clark asked as he watched Chloe get into her Scion tC.

"Sure do, only yellow farm house in this city" Chloe said before peeling out and going to the Kent Farmhouse.

"Alrighty then" Clark said as he waddled his way over to the Saturn Vue, and then drove his way back home. Clark arrived ten minutes later then Chloe did, and what he saw about made him want to pee his pants; for there in the kitchen was Chloe with flour all over her and Martha looking like a stunned raccoon.

"Clark!" Martha yelled as soon as Clark waddled into the house.

"Mom, Chloe…..what happened?" Clark asked trying to keep the smile off of his face.

"It seems that Ms. Sullivan here…"

"Call me Chloe"

"Fine then, Chloe here thought she would help me and things didn't go as planned. How about you take her up to the bathroom and let her get cleaned up….." Martha said before mumbling "and out of my hair" to the retreating back of Chloe and Clark.

"I'm really sorry Mrs. Kent" Chloe said one more time before following Clark upstairs and to his room.

"Sit" Clark said while going through the chest of drawers for a shirt that Chloe could wear.

"Clark, do you think your mom is mad at me?" Chloe said ringing her hands together at the thought of Martha Kent being mad at her.

"Nah, just a bit peeved that you slowed her down, but not mad. It takes a lot to get mom mad" Clark said reveling in the feeling of calling Martha Kent his mother.

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked one more time, before taking the shirt that Clark gave her.

"Pretty sure, she isn't used to others being in her kitchen, so don't worry about it" Clark said before pulling out a pair of sleep pants that he thought Chloe could wear while her clothes were being washed.

"The bathroom in down the hall, towels are in the closet behind the door" Clark said pushing Chloe down the hall and into the bathroom.

"I really appreciate this Clark" Chloe said holding up the clean outfit for Clark to see.

"It's fine, make it quick so I can get those clothes started" Clark said before closing the door on Chloe.

"Just a sec" Chloe said while turning on the water and stripping down for a quick shower.

"Okay" Chloe said while in the shower washing her hair. Clark quickly came in gathered the clothes and didn't even bother to look to the shower. He had walked in once on Martha and a woman's body did nothing for him, so he knew there was no point in looking at Chloe's. Clark closed the door quietly and made his way back downstairs.

"Clark" Martha said was a sigh.

"Mom" Clark said holding up Chloe's dirty clothes.

"I don't know how she did it. One minute I am over by the stove checking on the yams and the next minute I am covered in flour and Chloe Sullivan is in my kitchen."

"She does have the habit on sneaking up on people" Clark said as he stuck Chloe's clothes into the washer.

"Did you give her something to wear?"

"Sure just a t-shirt and some sleep pants, I wasn't sure on if dad was up there or not" Clark said looking around the kitchen and seeing the mess that Chloe had made.

"Don't worry about this Clark, you need to rest and Jon would have my head if I even suggested you help clean up" Martha said shaking her head and pointing for Clark to go to the living room and sit.

"I will let Chloe know where you are" Martha said moving about the kitchen again.

"If you're sure" Clark said walking away reluctantly. A few minutes later, Clark heard Chloe apologizing once again to Martha.

"Mrs. Kent, I'm sooooo sorry." Chloe said ringing her hands.

"It's all right dear, just lets not have this happen again, all right?" Martha said in the motherly tone.

"Okay"

"Clark is in the living room resting, how about you check up on him" Martha said trying to get Chloe out of the kitchen as soon as possible.

"Okay, and again I'm really sorry." Chloe said before she scampered out of the kitchen and into the living room, where Clark was sitting in a chair with his feet up.

"Chloe" Clark said not turning his head.

"Clark, I think your mom hates me" Chloe said plopping down on the couch.

"Nah" Clark said eyeing Chloe and the clothes that she had on. The t-shirt was the same shirt that he had wore the night of the party where he met Lex, and the sleep pants were one of the few items he took with him, when he left.

"Nice shirt by the way" Chloe said picking at the words on the shirt.

"Don't pick at it, that's the only one I got and I doubt I can get another"

"What, it's just a novelty tee" Chloe said still picking at the shirt.

"In some ways it is, but being that I knew Kal and his chickens personally I don't think I will be getting another any time soon, due to the fact that Kal now raises cows and is in college." Clark said amusement and sadness in his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Chloe said huffing before slouching back on the couch.

"Kal raised chickens and was part of the 4H group I belonged to."

"I don't think I heard you right. This shirt was in memory to some chickens and you are part of the 4H?" Chloe was amazed that someone like Clark would be all "Farmer Ted".

"Well, I'm not a part of the 4H now, due to being pregnant. They look down on that sort of thing, and it wasn't in memory of his chickens. It was to help raise money for the feed that he needed for them. They were multiplying a lot faster than he thought they would." Clark said remembering when Kal stood outside of the only feed store in Metropolis, with his "help feed Kal's chickens" poster and shirts. It turned out be a big hit, by the end he had buttons, multiple different t-shirt and bags. Kal even tucked away enough money for his first two years of college.

"This is just too weird" Chloe mumbled to her self.

"Dinner" Martha called before Chloe could grill Clark anymore on his activities. Clark waddled in, while Chloe shuffled around trying to avoid Martha Kent. Just as they were about to sit down, Jonathan Kent came in with a smile on his face.

"Guess what" Jonathan before stopping dead in his tracks and then staring at Chloe.

"Dear" Martha said trying to her husband back to reality.

"Uh….oh yes, Jonathan Kent nice to meet you" Jonathan said sticking out his hand for Chloe.

"Chloe Sullivan"

"Oh you're the new girl that works over in the Ledger, set the whole town on end you have" Jonathan said with a chuckle.

"Thanks" Chloe said beaming with pride for ruffling the feathers of the town's people.

"We were just getting ready to eat" Martha said before getting up and making her way to the counter to get another place setting.

"So how was your day, Clark?" Jonathan asked wondering if Clark was having any sort of problems that would need to be taken care of.

"They keep kicking me right when I fall asleep" Clark said while rubbing his hand over the huge bulge that carried his children.

"It only gets worse" Jonathan said before laughing at the look that Chloe had on her face. Right before she could open her mouth to ask another question, Martha came back with the plate and silverware for her husband.

"Let's eat" Martha said before grabbing the roll basket and taking one, before passing it along. The meal continued in the same fashion until Martha made everyone move into the living room.

"You; Mrs. Kent are my hero" Chloe said patting her full belly while slouched on the couch.

"Yeah mom, you out did your self tonight" Clark said while closing his eyes.

"Thank you" Martha said sitting on the arm of the chair that Jonathan occupied.

"Well, I better get going" Chloe said before shuffling her way over to the door.

"Oh Chloe, dear" Martha said before running back into the kitchen to retrieve the now clean clothes.

"Here you go" Martha said while handing the clothes to Chloe.

"Thanks" Chloe said while trying to decide if she should put her clothes back on or not.

"Keep them for the time being" Martha said answering Chloe dilemma.

"Thanks again for the invite and food, and Clark I will get these back to you soon" Chloe said before waving and making her way to her car. As she sped off, Martha could only shake her head at the blonde.

"Clark is she always so….."

"Perky" Clark said and then laughing at the look on Martha's face.

"Perky is a word I could use"

"Yeah pretty much"

"Wow, make sure to remind me never to allow her in the kitchen again" Martha and Clark then both laughed at the scene that had occurred with Chloe.

"What's going on?" Jonathan asked while feeling like he has missed something.

"Chloe Sullivan and kitchens do not mix" Martha said patting her husband's shoulder and then making her way into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

"Clark" Jonathan said once Martha was out of the room.

"Chloe some how managed to not only ruin her clothes, but cover mom and her self in flour. There wasn't even any flour out on the table" Clark said laughing at the picture of both Chloe and Martha covered head to toe in flour.

"You have to be kidding" Jonathan said before laughing at the picture his mind supplied of his wife covered in flour.

"You better stop laughing, if you intend to sleep in bed tonight" Martha said from the kitchen while putting the finishing touches on the kitchen.

"Ouch" Clark said before looking over his shoulder to see Martha re-enter the living room.

"So what were you going to tell us, before you saw Chloe?"

"Oh I was going to tell you that I got the finalized adoption papers today" Jonathan crowed while whipping out the documents from his bag that sat next to the chair.

"Oh my goodness!" Martha said a huge smile on her face, before hugging Clark for all she was worth.

"You're ours now" Martha whispered into a crying Clark's ear. Clark only nodded his head, the relief rolling off of him.

"You're ours now" Martha whispered again, before releasing Clark.

"Okay?" Jonathan asked both his wife and Clark.

"Yeah, just great" Clark said a happy smile on his face. The Kent's had to wonder how anyone would not love Clark as fully as they loved him. He was quiet, intelligent and generally a kind person, if that didn't endear you to him they didn't know what would.

"Clark, you look about ready to fall over, I think some sleep is in order" Jonathan said while watching Clark as he waddled his way to the stairs.

"Night" Clark said and then gave a small wave. After Jonathan was certain that Clark was in his room he spoke.

"He is really ours"

"He is" Martha said, but she could see the worry on her husband' face.

"What is it?" Martha asked concerned at the look.

"What if the McBride's want him and the children back?"

"They better not, because if they do we will fight for Clark and his children. They don't have a case; they're the ones that threw him out. He didn't walk away and they know that." Martha said with conviction in her voice.

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be about this, if we need a lawyer for this we will get one, but don't think about it now." Martha said patting her husband's shoulder and making her way to bed as well.


	8. Act VIII: New Arrivals

_Act VIII: New Arrivals_

"Ow" Clark said before placing a hand on his large belly to try and stop the pain that was coming from there. A few minutes later the pain came back a bit more intense than the first time.

"Don't tell me it's time" Clark said worried that his children would be too early; it was mid-January and no where near time for the babies to come. Minutes later another contraction hit.

"Gotta tell dad" Clark said trying to get out of bed and moving down the hall to where his parents slept. Clark's progress was slow due to the fact that every few minutes he would have a contraction. Clark made it half way before giving up and sliding down to the floor.

"Mom, dad!" Clark yelled down the hall, hoping they would hear him. Shortly after his scream both Jonathan and Martha came running out of their room to see Clark sitting on the floor holding his belly.

"I think it's time" Clark said grinning before another contraction hit and wiped it off his face.

"All right" Jonathan said before going into doctor mode.

"Martha, I want you to get the car started and warmed up, also pack a bag for Clark and the babies. I am going to call the hospital on the way there and get Clark downstairs, got it?" Jonathan said moving toward Clark to help him up.

"Sure do" Martha said running down the stairs and starting the car and then running back in the house to pack the bag for Clark and the babies.

"All right there, son?" Jonathan said as he crouched down to Clark's level.

"Could be better"

"Well, let's get you up and ready to go" Jonathan said while taking Clark's hand and pulling while Clark tried to stand up. It took two tries but Clark was up and walking down the stairs slowly.

"Now take it slow, I don't want you falling down the stairs and hurting either your self or the babies" Jonathan said following in front of Clark, just in case he did fall.

"Okay, okay" Clark said taking a deep breath and moving slowly down the stairs. Once both Jonathan and Clark were downstairs they were met with a frantic Martha.

"Martha, Martha" Jonathan called out to his wife.

"I didn't find the bag, I just can't find it!" Martha yelled to no one in particular.

"Don't worry about it, we can come back later. We have to go now" Jonathan said seeing that Clark was having yet another contraction. It seemed that January 21st, was going to be these two children's birthday.

"Okay" Martha said grabbing hold of Clark and moving with him to the running car. Once Martha got Clark in, Jonathan hopped in the backseat with him while talking on his cell phone.

"Dr. Kent here, I'm going to need an O.R. stat" there was a pause and then Jonathan began to speak again.

"I got my son who has Olanwsky's, who is in labor with twins. What do you mean there aren't any available? It's two o'clock in the god damned morning; there is an O.R., so get me one!" Jonathan before listening to the person speak again.

"Thanks" Jonathan said before hanging up the phone.

"Dear" Martha said while driving to the hospital.

"They wanted to tell me that there weren't any O.R.s available, you know how the people at Smallville Hospital are." Jonathan said before turning back to Clark, to see Clark sweating and in the middle of another contraction.

"Gotta push, gotta push" Clark said trying to push.

"Don't push, just wait. I know you want to push, but you can't" Jonathan said while rubbing Clark's belly to try and calm the contractions down just a bit.

"When I find Lex, I'm going to kick his ass" Clark screamed out while trying not to push.

"That's fine, just don't push" Jonathan said right as they pulled up to a red light.

"Run the damn thing Martha" Jonathan said while going back to talking to Clark. Martha ran the light and not two seconds later police sirens could be heard.

"What do I do?" Martha said frantic to get to the hospital, but also to stop and get the ticket for running the light.

"Just stop I guess" Jonathan said through gritted teeth, due to the fact that Clark had a vise like hold on his hand. Martha stopped and opened her window, while waiting for the officer to walk up.

"Martha Kent" the police officer said in a husky voice.

"Officer Gavin" Martha said in a tight voice, she didn't have time to be hit on by Office Gavin.

"Running a red light" Gavin said slowly.

"And with good reason too" Jonathan said from the back seat, right before Clark let out a wail.

"Oh my" Gavin said peeking in.

"Labor?" Gavin asked Jonathan while watching the amazing sight.

"Yes, so can we go?" Jonathan said again through gritted teeth.

"Oh sure, no problem" Gavin said stepping away, and Martha peeled off set in her course to the hospital. There were no more interruptions on the way there, and Jonathan was able to get Clark into a wheelchair, before any one else could offer their help.

"Which O.R?" Jonathan said while wheeling Clark toward the operating room areas.

"O.R. five is set up for you" a nurse said before following behind Jonathan.

"Thanks Elise, you're a life saver for coming in" Jonathan said to his nurse that worked in the office with him.

"Any time, it isn't every day that you get to help deliver your boss' grandchildren" Elisa said with an evil grin on her face.

"Don't you dare call me Grandpa Kent" Jonathan warned her before going off and getting ready for the emergency C-section.

"Clark, let's get you on the table" Elisa said helping Clark out of the wheelchair and on to a table set up in a room outside the O.R.

"Now I need you to get undressed okay?" Elise said looking at Clark's large belly with concern. Jonathan had hoped that the babies would be delivered in February, giving them more time to mature; they could only hope that the twins would be fine.

"Okay" Clark said while taking off his shirt and pants before sitting on the table that he would be wheeled into the O.R. on.

"Your boxers too" Elise said watching as Clark turned a lovely shade of red.

"Okay" Clark said while taking off his boxers and not looking at Elise at all.

"Now all we need to do is prep and you will soon be meeting your two babies. Got any names picked out?" Elise asked, due to the fact that pretty much anyone that had any contact with Clark would throw out names to him for the twins.

"I do" Clark said with a big grin on his face, he had only decide last night what the children's names were to be and he was happy that he would finally be able to meet his children.

"Well, lie down and let us do the work" Elise said covering up Clark with a sheet and warmed blanket after an IV had been started and drugs had been pumped into his system before entering the O.R. Not five minutes later Clark was in the O.R, listening to all that was being said around him.

"Now son, you might feel some pressure but not any pain, if you feel pain let me know, okay?" Jonathan asked through surgical mask that he wore.

"All right" Clark said while nodding his head before a dividing sheet was put in place. It was another ten minutes before Jonathan yelled:

"It's a girl" when Jonathan said that Clark began to cry, he now had a baby girl that was all his own. Then about five minutes later Jonathan spoke again:

"It's a boy and a big one at that" Jonathan said tears in his eyes and with a huge grin on his face behind the mask. Jonathan then went to work cleaning up Clark and the hole that he had created to deliver the babies. An hour later found Clark lying on his back waiting to see his children for the first time.

"I think there are two people who would like to meet you" Elise said wheeling the incubators to where Clark was laying down.

"Are they all right?" Clark asked concerned due to the fact that they were in incubators.

"Just fine. Jonathan and the on-staff pediatrician, Dr. Richmond, decided to keep them in the incubators just in case." Elise said explaining away Clark's fears.

"Can I hold them?" Clark said tears in his eyes, due to the beautiful babies in the incubators. The baby wrapped in pink had flaming red hair and gray eyes, while the baby in blue had dark brown almost black hair with the same gray eyes.

"Well, let me check, but I don't see why a few minutes couldn't hurt. They were after all over the weight that Jonathan projected they would be if they were due in February." Elise said before leaving to ask if Clark could hold his children, when she came back she came back with not only Jonathan and Martha but also Chloe Sullivan.

"Clark" Chloe said walking quickly to Clark's side.

"That's them, huh?" Chloe said looking at the two babies and falling in love with them immediately.

"Yeah, that's them" Clark said while looking fondly over at the incubators.

"Well, Clark" Elise said taking the baby in pink out of the incubator and placing her in his arms.

"Hello little one" Clark said while running his pointer finger down her face. The baby just stared at Clark, with the same intense stare that Lex had.

"So what are you going to name her?" Chloe said bouncing in her seat in the corner.

"I have to agree Clark, what are you going to name her?" Martha said taking pictures of Clark and the baby girl. Clark was distracted until Martha ran a hand through her flaming red locks.

"She's beautiful, Clark" Martha said with a huge smile on her face.

"That she is, you take after your other father on the hair and eyes" Clark said to the baby.

"So name?" Chloe asked again getting impatient, not noticing that the baby girl looked a lot like Lex with the hair and eyes.

"Oh, name…..Arianna Maelle Kent" Clark said looking around the room to see if the others like the name.

"It suits her" Martha said thoughtful on the name.

"All right time to switch" Elise said taking the now dubbed Arianna out of Clark's arms and putting her back into her incubator.

"And now for number two" Elise said placing the baby boy in Clark's arms. By then Clark had tears running down his face freely, he had so wanted Lex to be here for this special event but he wasn't and he couldn't.

"So what's his name?" Chloe said standing up and fussing with the blanket that was over Clark's legs.

"Zaiden Nicholas Kent" Clark said before running a finger over this child's face as well.

"I like" Chloe said patting Clark's arm and sitting back down in the chair. She was never good with babies and she didn't want anything to happen to the two that were in front of her now.

"That is a good strong name for both of them" Jonathan said looking at Martha with amusement in his eyes, due to the fact that Martha had yet to put down the camera.

"Martha they aren't going any where"

"You never know, these are first moments and we are going to capture them" Martha said while continuing to snap picture after picture of Clark and his children.

"All right enough" Elise said taking the baby back and placing him in his incubator.

"Clark needs rest and these two need to be taken to the NNICU for observation." Elise said before walking out of the room, Clark called her back.

"Are you going to stay with them? I don't want some stranger with them all the time" Clark said worried that someone would try and take his children away from him for some reason.

"I will stay until my shift is over, and by then I don't see why you won't be able to have them in the room with you. Just make sure that they understand that you want your children in the room with you, they will try and talk you out of it." Elise said with a grim look on her face, she had heard the nurses talking about how they were going to let the press know about Clark and his children, but with Clark being a minor they couldn't do anything against him but the babies well if they took a picture or two of them there was nothing anyone could do about that.

"Okay, thanks Elise" Clark said watching as his children where wheeled out of the room and to the NNICU.

"Son, I think you need to get some rest. Your mom and I will be back later, we just have to get some things for overnight" Jonathan said patting his son on the shoulder before leaving the room, Martha following quickly after she gave her son a light hug. Chloe was the only one in the room, and Clark waited for her to speak.

"Just couldn't wait could they" Chloe said dragging a chair up to the side of Clark's bed.

"Guess not" Clark said with a grin on his face, which made Chloe's heart melt.

"Nice names by the way"

"Thanks" Clark said closing his eyes due to the overwhelming exhaustion he was feeling all of a sudden.

"Well, I will come by tomorrow when you are not as tired" Chloe said getting up and moving the chair back to the corner where it originally sat.

"Okay, bye" Clark said not even waiting for Chloe to response before falling asleep.

"Bye" Chloe said softly while exiting the room and the building, she had some exciting news to tell Lex and his friends. Chloe drove back to her apartment hoping that Lex was online so that she might tell him the great news; it was after 8 AM now, once Chloe had gotten herself comfortable with her laptop in her lap sitting on the couch waiting until she was signed in to see if Lex was there.

Snarky_reporter says: Hello?

Destinys_foil says: Chloe, what in the world are you doing up at 8 AM your time?

Snarky_reporter says: Well I just got back from the hospital

Destinys_foil says: Are you alright?

Snarky_reporter says: Is Lex Luthor worried about little ol' Chloe Sullivan

Destinys_foil says: Yes I am, now tell me why you were at the hospital

Snarky_reporter says: No need to get all Luthor on me. I was just visiting a friend

Destinys_foil says: There's more to it

Snarky_reporter says: You stab me in the heart, you do

Destinys_foil says: Chloe don't play dumb with me, now what were you doing at the hospital?

Snarky_reporter says: Fine, no fun bear…I was there visiting Clark Kent, who by the way has two health babies.

Destinys_foil says: He delivered did he?

Snarky_reporter says: emergency C-Section, he went into labor last night and they delivered them just a few hours ago.

Destinys_foil says: That is amazing, I should see if Ryder and Jourdan are on, hang on

Lex opened his IM contact list to see that both Jourdan and Ryder where on. So he added them to the conversation he was already having with Chloe.

Destinys_foil says: Ryder, Jourdan you guys there?

Night_Ryder says: Sure am here Lex, what's up?

Jourdan_Way says: Same here, what's the deal?

Snarky_reporter says: I was just telling Lex the great news

Jourdan_Way says: and that would be?

Snarky_reporter says: That Clark (Olanwsky's guy) just delivered his twins this morning. All three are doing fine. *beams*

Jourdan_Way says: You have to be kidding me; man I wish I could see him and the babies.

Night_Ryder says: Don't even think it Jourdan; we can't afford to go now. If we weren't going to Europe for the fencing tournament you know we would be able to go, but not now. We will need the money we can save, to use over there.

Snarky_reporter says: Lex what are they talking about? *taps foot*

Destinys_foil says: Well some of us from the fencing squad have been chosen to participate in a fencing tournament this summer in England.

Snarky_reporter says: and you are just now telling me this? *taps foot and arms are now crossed*

Destinys_foil says: We just found out within the last couple of days.

Jourdan_Way says: He's right Chloe; just this Friday coach told us who was going

Snarky_reporter says: So you knew before hand that there was a possibility that you could go?

Destinys_foil says: Sure, but I was told that only upper classmen usually went.

Snarky_reporter says: Lex you are a Luthor and an amazing fencer if the high school championship is anything to go by.

Night_Ryder says: It usually is upper classmen, but Lex has shown amazing skill so I don't know why you are surprised Lex.

Jourdan_Way says: Stop riding him, we didn't all get on to talk about that. We are here to talk about Olanwsky's boy and his kids.

Snarky_reporter says: His name is Clark and the children's names are Arianna Maelle Kent and Zaiden Nicholas Kent.

Jourdan_Way says: Nice, especially the Zaiden.

Night_Ryder says: I must agree, Lex your thoughts.

Destinys_foil says: Those are perfect names for a Luthor, so I approve.

Snarky_reporter says: I'll pass it along to Clark.

Night_Ryder says: This isn't by chance the same Clark that Lex is looking for is it?

Snarky_reporter says: No, don't think so. His last name is Kent and it looks like he has always been a Kent, very hot, if you want to know, even pregnant and waddling around town.

Destinys_foil says: Nice image there Chloe.

Snarky_reporter says: Well it is *pouts*

Destinys_foil says: Okay, I will admit to it sounding very nice, hot not so much but nice.

Jourdan_Way says: Do you know when they plan to release him?

Snarky_reporter says: Dunno, I will find out tomorrow, well I gotta get to the Ledger talk to you all later. *waves* Bye!

Destinys_foil says: Bye Chloe, guys see you later.

Once both Chloe and Lex signed off, Jourdan and Ryder followed suit and got ready for their first class of the day. Hours later found Chloe sitting in the hospital room with Clark and his two children.

"Clark"

"Yeah Chloe" Clark said holding on to his daughter while feeding her from a bottle.

"Would it be all right if I took pictures of you and the babies?"

"Sure" Clark said now burping Arianna.

"Great, then I can show them to a friend of mine." Chloe said bouncing in her seat at the thought of Lex seeing the pictures of Clark and the babies.

"Chloe, you can't show any one" Clark said with a fearful look on his face. If the pictures some how got out, it was not be a good thing.

"Are you sure?" Chloe said disappointed at not being able to show Lex, Clark.

"Please" Clark said worried lacing his words.

"Okay, no problem" Chloe said curious as to why Clark wouldn't want his picture shown to others. Chloe and Clark talked about the happenings around Smallville before Chloe left for the day and Clark was made to rest.


	9. Act IX:  Drama at the Sullivan Home

_Act IX: Drama at the Sullivan Home_

"Dad, what do you mean I have to come back to visit with Tate?" Chloe whined into the phone to her father.

"He just got kicked out of Princeton, come and see him" Gabe Sullivan said in a weary voice.

"Okay, I'll be up this weekend." Chloe said before hanging up the phone.

"Loser"

"Who's a loser?" Clark said startling Chloe.

"Clark, don't do that!" Chloe said placing a hand over her heart.

"Sorry" Clark said while walking in with two baby car seats.

"Oh they're here" Chloe said getting all mushy on Clark.

"We came to see if Aunt Chloe wanted to take that picture of us now?" Clark said a happy grin on his face. It had been three months since the birth of his children and Clark wouldn't have changed it for anything.

"How about I get my boyfriend to take the pictures? He is going to school to be a professional photographer." Chloe said proud of her high school sweet heart, Jimmy Olsen.

"And you won't show them to anybody?" Clark said still worried that the McBride's would find out and try to take his babies away from him.

"Nah, how about we drive to Metropolis this weekend and Jimmy can take them there?" Chloe said liking the idea of a road trip with Clark and the babies.

"Let me ask mom and dad first, they might want to come along" Clark said wondering if going to Metropolis was really a good idea.

"Cool" Chloe said before bouncing in the kitchen for a glass of water.

"So who was the loser?" Clark said after setting the car seats down, with a sleeping baby in each.

"Oh, my brother; he just got kicked out of Princeton" as Chloe said those words Clark's face drained of color.

"Princeton" Clark whispered trying to get his emotions under control.

"Yeah, followed his then boyfriend there but didn't get too far because his boyfriend saw him cheating on him at some graduation party." The more Chloe spoke the more anxious Clark became.

"Oh" Clark said not really know what to say about what Chloe had told him.

"So, my dad wants me to go there and give him, I guess, a pep talk. I think he deserves all he gets, but that is just me." Chloe said walking back into the living room and plopping down on the couch.

"So, that is this weekend?" Clark said trying to find a way out of going to Metropolis now.

"Yeah, don't worry you don't have to meet him. I think he is spending most of his time with his new best friend Scott McBride" at the mention of this ex-brother, Clark about wanted to bolt.

"So, they won't be around much, huh?"

"You got it; I doubt I will even be able to give him the pep talk. I will tell him that his ass needs to be at Met U come fall session, but I don't know if he'll listen."

"Probably not"

"Well, I hate to push you out, but I gotta few things to do, before we leave for Metropolis. Let me know if you can come, all right?" Chloe said getting off the couch and grabbing her laptop.

"Sure thing" Clark said making his way back out to the street and to the Saturn Vue that he had borrowed from Martha. Martha felt it was unsafe to have the babies in the "rust bucket" that Jonathan bought for Clark to make his produce deliveries in. The drive home for Clark was horrible, due to all the things he was able to think up that could go on in Metropolis if he were to go.

"Mom" Clark said coming in the house with the two car seats full of sleeping babies.

"Clark back so soon?" Martha said taking one of the car seats and moving into the living room where a small crib had been set up for the babies.

"Yeah Chloe was busy, so I decided to head on back" Clark said while still trying to think on how to broach the subject of a trip to Metropolis that weekend.

"Something on your mind?" Martha said taking Arianna out of her seat and laying her down in the crib.

"Yeah, Chloe offered her boyfriend's services to take pictures of Arianna and Zaiden" Clark said placing Zaiden next to his sister in the crib.

"That's nice"

"I thought so, right up until she told me that he is in Metropolis" Clark said with a worried expression on his face.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, that was kind of what I was like. I really wanted him to take the pictures but I am worried I might "bump" into some people that I would rather not." Clark said hoping his mom would have an answer.

"Clark, Metropolis is a big town, so I doubt you will even see them."

"Oh but I think I will"

"Why do you say that?"

"Chloe's brother is now best friends with Scott McBride"

"Ah" Martha said seeing why Clark was so concerned.

"Clark, you can't avoid them your whole life. If they see you what is the worse they can do? Tell who?" Martha said thinking reasonably on the situation.

"I guess you are right" Clark said giving in, knowing that Martha was correct in her assumption.

"Chloe did say that she didn't think she would see her brother and if he is around I don't think Scott will be hanging around too much" Clark said hoping that what he was saying would be true, he could only hope for the best.

"Well, there you go" Martha said before looking back in the crib to her two grandbabies.

"I'll give Chloe a call now; can you watch them for a minute?" Clark said while he too watched his sleeping children.

"Sure" Martha said distracted by watching the babies sleep. A few minutes later Clark returned and spoke:

"She will be by on Saturday morning" Clark said with a grin on his face, due to the thoughts of what Chloe's boyfriend would be like.

"Are you taking the Vue?"

"Yeah, Chloe's car is just too small and so is my truck." Clark said while picking up Zaiden due to him crying.

"That is a good idea; I was worried she would make you all fit in the tiny car and that rust bucket that your father bought probably wouldn't make it to Metropolis"

"Nah" Clark said going over to a small changing table set up in the corner of the living room. Once he had changed Zaiden, Arianna started to wail.

"Once you get one quiet the other starts up" Martha said shaking her head before going into the kitchen to start on lunch for her, Clark, and two families that decided to spend their spring break week in Smallville.

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny, and it promised to be a perfect spring day with flowers in bloom and the grass being the perfect green.

"Knock, knock" Chloe said before making her way into the Kent farm house.

"Chloe, how good to see you" Martha said while putting the finishing touches on the breakfast that was to be severed in just a matter of minutes.

"You too Mrs. Kent" Chloe said looking over the breakfast with envy in her eyes.

"Have a seat, Clark isn't going anywhere without breakfast" Martha said getting a plate for Chloe.

"You, Mrs. Kent, are the best" Chloe said before digging in with relish, it wasn't everyday that she got a home cooked breakfast. Her father was a sort of heat and server type of guy.

"Chloe, you're here" Clark said while he carried the two babies down the stairs in his arms.

"Duuuuude, your mom rocks" Chloe said around a mouthful of food.

"Chloe don't speak with your mouth full" Martha said shaking a spatula at Chloe.

"Sowwy" Chloe said and then blushed for doing it anyway. Martha just nodded her head as she got Clark's plate ready because he was placing the babies into the two high chairs that sat by the kitchen table.

"I'll watch them, you eat. You have to get on the road soon" Martha said putting the plate down in front of Clark and then playing with her grandbabies as Clark ate. Breakfast was done in a timely fashion and Clark was up and putting Zaiden in his car seat while Martha buckled Arianna in hers.

"Ready" Martha said walking out to the Vue, to "lock and latch" Arianna in.

"I think so" Clark said looking through the baby bags full of things he would need for the day.

"You sure you have enough formula?"

"Yeah and bottles and diapers, we won't be gone that long" Clark said with humor in his voice.

"Clark" Martha said pinking just a bit for worrying so much.

"All right mom, I will call when we get there" Clark said getting in the Vue and starting it up.

"Make sure that you do, Chloe you make sure that he does" Martha said hands on her hips as she watched Clark drive off on the way to Metropolis.

"Clark can I have your mom?" Chloe asked once they had pulled away from the farm and hit the main road for the highway.

"Nah, I got first dibs on her" Clark said while maneuvering the Vue into highway traffic. It was three hours and many rest stops later that Chloe, Clark, Arianna and Zaiden arrived to the Sullivan household.

"Welcome to my humble abode" Chloe said as she unlocked the door and yelled inside the house.

"Your favorite daughter is here"

"Chloe" a man's voice said before Clark was met with what he assumed was Chloe's dad. The man in front of him was semi-tall, with gray hair and had a calm feeling around him.

"Dad that is Clark, Clark this is my dad." Chloe said bouncing on the balls of her feet as she made the introductions.

"Nice to meet you" Clark said while then looking down at the two baby car seats that he had in his hands.

"I would shake, but I don't want to put them down." Clark said with a grin on his face, due to the stunned look on Chloe's dad face.

"Yeah, come on in" Clark followed the man into the living room where he was able to set the car seats on the ground safely.

"Gabe Sullivan"

"Clark Kent" Clark said before shaking the man's hand this time. Clark looked around the room and saw pictures of Chloe and what he assumed was her brother. The room was silent right up until Chloe bounced in with a cup of coffee in her hands.

"So where is that brother of mine?"

"Up in his room" Gabe said a frown marring his face.

"Well let me go wake sleeping beauty" Chloe said before bounding up the stairs, Clark had to wonder where Chloe got all of her energy because Gabe Sullivan did not seem to be hyperactive like Chloe.

"She gets that from her mother" Gabe said answering the question that Clark had just been thinking.

"Wow" Clark said already tired and the day had barely begun. A few minutes later Chloe came down the stairs followed by a man with a wrinkled t-shirt on and his brownish-blonde hair sticking up all over the place.

"Wha" Tate said before stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Clark standing in the middle of the room.

"Tate, be nice" Chloe said pushing her brother in Clark's direction.

"Clark Kent" Clark said recognizing Tate from the party; he could only hope that Tate didn't recognize him.

"Tate Sullivan" Tate said confused and sleepily. He was pretty sure that the guy in front of him looked familiar but he couldn't figure out where he had seen him.

"Chloe" Gabe said getting his daughter's attention away from the coffee she had in her hands.

"Oh, yeah dad?"

"Aren't you supposed to be meeting with Jimmy soon?" Gabe said wanting to get Chloe and Clark out of the house, so that he could ream out Tate properly for going to the party and getting a hangover.

"Yeah, sure do…come on Clark" Chloe said before bouncing back out the door and holding it open for Clark.

"It was nice to meet you" Clark said before grabbing the two car seats and making his way to the door.

"Dude, you look familiar" Tate said before the door closed behind Clark.

"Familiar" Chloe said before laughing as Clark put the babies in the "lock and latch" system back in for the drive.

"He must have a total hangover and dad is sooooo not going to be happy about that" Chloe said while Clark drove and took the occasional instruction from Chloe in between her rambling about her brother. The ride was short and they arrived to Kessler Park, where Chloe jumped out of the car and ran to a man standing near the parking lot with a large camera in his hand.

"Jimmy!" Clark heard Chloe yell as she was scooped up into the arms of what Clark presumed was her boyfriend. Once Clark had gotten the two babies out of the bottom half of the car seat, he made his way over to where Chloe and Jimmy were waiting.

"Clark, this is Jimmy. Jimmy this is Clark" Chloe said now bouncing around even more.

"Nice to meet you" Clark said with amusement in his eyes, he couldn't see how someone like either Gabe Sullivan or Jimmy would be able to deal with hyperactive Chloe.

"So are these the two babies that Chloe has fallen in love with" Jimmy said looking at the two now awake babies.

"Sure are" Clark said beaming with pride.

"Beautiful" Jimmy said noticing that one had red hair and the other did not.

"Does the other father, I guess, have red hair?" Jimmy said while blushing at the thought of what the other parent would be called, due to it being a man as well.

"Yeah" Clark said with a shrug of his shoulders. He couldn't tell for sure what color Lex's hair was because he hadn't taken notice of the hair on any other part of his body and the bald head didn't help matters either.

"Oh" Jimmy said a bit stunned with the answer.

"It was a bit of an accident" Clark said blushing as well.

"Jimmy we aren't here for the third degree, we got pictures to take" Chloe said before dragging Jimmy over to an area where the flowers were in bloom. Clark followed behind with the two babies in their car seats and listened as Chloe directed Jimmy where she wanted the pictures to be taken.

"Jimmy I think over there with the iris patch would be good" Chloe said pointing to a beautiful area where all different kinds of irises were in bloom.

"Sounds good to me, you heard her Clark" Jimmy said waving his hand over to the bed of flowers, once Clark was in position with a bit of fighting with Chloe, Jimmy began to take pictures and for the next hour and a half that was all they did. A wail from Arianna notified all that it was time for a break.

"Is there a bathroom around?" Clark said looking around the park for any sort of restrooms.

"Oh sure, right over there" Jimmy said pointing out a semi-large building that looked rustic. Clark carried the babies over to the restroom and began to look around for the "family" bathroom since it seemed that men weren't into changing their child's diapers, so there was no changing table in the men's bathroom. Once located Clark made quick work on the changing and then made his way back over to where Jimmy and Chloe were talking.

"Ready" Clark said showing the now two sleeping babies.

"Well I think that is enough" Jimmy said not wanting to wake up the babies now that they were asleep.

"Thanks for taking the pictures" Clark said before all three started the trek back to the parking lot.

"I'll send Chloe the pictures, sound good?" Jimmy said leaning inside the car through Chloe's side.

"Fine by me" Clark said before turning his head away, due to Chloe and Jimmy kissing. It made his heart ache that he didn't have someone like that in his life; he could only hope that one day he would find some one.

"So what did you think?" Chloe asked Clark on the way back to her house.

"Of what?"

"Of Jimmy of course" Chloe said like he was a silly child.

"Oh he seemed nice" Clark didn't really know how to respond and he hoped that he had gotten it right, with a glance at Chloe and the huge smile on her face; he was pretty sure he had gotten it right.

"He is nice" Chloe said looking over her shoulder to make sure that the babies were still asleep. Once they arrived back to the Sullivan household, it was to see that Gabe was in the front yard working with some flowers.

"Hey dad" Chloe said bouncing out of the car and over to her father.

"So how did it go?" Gabe said wiping his hands off on his pants before standing.

"Great! Jimmy got some really good pictures of them" Chloe said while pointing over to where Clark's jean covered butt was hanging out of back door, as he got Zaiden and Arianna out of the car.

"OH!" Chloe said getting both Gabe's and Clark's attention.

"Chloe?" both said as waited for her to speak.

"Clark you need to call your mom" Chloe said before running over to the Vue while digging in her purse for her cell phone.

"Here" Chloe said she thrust the phone into Clark's hand. Clark dialed and spoke with his mom for a few minutes, before ending the call.

"Thanks for the reminder" Clark said shaking his head as he watched Chloe throw the phone back into the purse that looked more like a book bag than a purse.

"No problem. So when do you think you are going to start to head back?" Chloe said while walking with Clark back over to Gabe near the front door.

"Oh, I dunno" Clark said before Tate came running out of the house yelling.

"I can not believe that bastard! He didn't tell me he was going to go, oh I will be there just he wait" Tate said before noticing that Clark, Chloe and Gabe were looking at him as if he was an alien.

"What?" Tate yelled before hopping in his car and speeding off.

"Is he always like that?" Clark asked a now red faced Chloe.

"Pretty much since the break up" Gabe answered for Chloe.

"Break up?" Clark said trying not to get details, but wanting to know none the less.

"Yeah, he and his boyfriend broke up after he found Tate with another guy" Chloe said shaking her head at how stupid her brother was being about Lex and the break up. He had called Chloe drunk a couple of times just to hear Chloe talk about Lex; she really hoped that Lex wouldn't fall for Tate's lies this time.

"Well Clark"

"Yeah" Clark said thinking it was about time for him to leave.

"You might want to start on home"

"Yeah I think I will, can you watch them for a minute while I use the restroom?" Clark said looking at both Gabe and Chloe.

"Sure thing, restroom downstairs is to your right before the kitchen" Gabe said before Clark took off to the destination.

"Dad what is really going on with Tate?" Chloe said concerned that her brother had totally lost it.

"You know that break up with Lex has been rough on him"

"I know that dad, but what did he expect Lex to do? Allow him to cheat but not be able to cheat in return?"

"Chloe, you know Tate"

"I do and that is what worries me, he became friends with Scott McBride of all people. Do you know that Lex really, really doesn't like that guy but here he is making friends with him"

"Chloe…." Gabe didn't get to finish due to the fact that Clark was making his way back over to them.

"All right" Clark said grabbing the car seats and then making his way over to the Vue to "lock and latch" the babies in. Once done Clark jumped in and waited for Chloe.

"Coming?"

"No, I am going to have Jimmy or dad take me back. I have to have a "chat" with my brother." Chloe said her face grim as she spoke the words.

"If you're sure" Clark said starting up the Vue and getting ready to go.

"Positive" Chloe said and waved with a bright smile on her face. Clark just shook his head as he pulled out of the driveway and began his journey home.

"Chloe I need a shirt" jerked Chloe wake.

"Tate!" Chloe screamed before groaning at being up at such an early hour.

"Chloe come on, I don't have time for this. Lex is going to be in town and of course dad didn't wash, so I need to borrow a shirt. I know you have one I could borrow" Tate said while looking through the drawers for a shirt. Tate was about to give up when he saw an army green shirt with white writing on it, sitting on top of Chloe's things.

"Chloe you are a life saver" Tate said while grabbing the shirt and making a dash to his room to finish dressing. Chloe hadn't taken her head from under the pillow so she was clueless as to what shirt Tate had taken. Chloe was woken up by a loud bang near her ear.

"Ms. Sullivan" a male's voice said.

"Go away" Chloe said slapping the hand that hand now been placed on her should to shake her awake.

"Is that any way to treat me?" the voice said humor evident in its tone.

"It is when I want to sleep, now go away."

"Chloe Sullivan, get up" the voice said while shaking her awake.

"You are soooooo…" Chloe didn't finish her sentence due to the fact that as soon as she opened her eyes, she came face-to-face with Lex.

"Lex" Chloe practically yelled.

"Chloe" Lex said in a normal tone of voice.

"What are you doing here?" Chloe said scooting up and over so Lex could sit down on the bed.

"Spring break and I figured I would come back and be with you since I can't this summer" Lex said grinning at the thought of being away from his father claws for an entire summer.

"Ah Lex, I didn't know you cared" Chloe said batting her eyelashes.

"That I do, that I do" Lex said patting Chloe's leg.

"Does Tate know you're here?" Chloe asked worried that Tate would drive Lex away.

"No and I plan to try and keep it that way for as long as possible." Lex said his face grim at the thought of having to deal with Tate Sullivan in the near future.

"Well he was spouting about how he was going to be some where and I assumed it dealt with you, so you might want to watch out" Chloe said concerned over what her brother was planning to do.

"Will do Chloe" Lex said before standing up and making his way over to the bedroom door.

"Get up, we have things to do" Lex said and then closed the door behind him. Chloe scrambled around her room getting ready and was thumping down the stairs fifteen minutes later.

"Ready!" Chloe yelled and scared her father who was in the process of taking a sip of coffee.

"Chloe!" Gabe admonished his daughter. Chloe was the only one that could rattle him most of the time.

"It was good to see you Mr. Sullivan" Lex said before exiting the house and getting in the black solstice that his father had given him as a graduation present.

"Lex" Chloe said as they rode in silence for a few minutes.

"Chloe" Lex said driving the car back toward the house that Lionel had bought on St. Martin's Island for Lillian Luthor.

"So when do you leave for your tour?" Chloe asked looking at the beautiful lawn that was in front of the mansion.

"The day after my last final" Lex said pulling to a stop at the door to the house.

"You have to be kidding me; that is only what four or five weeks away"

"Yes it is" Lex said walking in the house and looking around for Lionel Luthor.

"Looking for Satan?" Chloe said before laughing at the look on Lex's face at her words.

"That I am" Lex agreed before making his way over to the large den area that Lex had claimed as his earlier in his youth. Chloe plopped down on the couch while Lex sat at a glass desk that held a laptop on it.

"My brother is an idiot" Chloe said to the no one in particular.

"I am going to have to whole heartily agree." Lex said clicking away on the computer.

"Aren't you going to ask why?" Chloe said eyes on Lex as he typed away at the laptop.

"No, because I know first hand how much of an idiot your brother can be" Lex said typing and then looking at Chloe with a smirk on his face.

"No fair" Chloe said before getting out of her spot and making her way over to Lex's desk.

"What are you doing?" Chloe said trying to look at the laptop screen, but Lex was too fast and closed it before she could see anything.

"Lex it isn't like I'm going to tell" Chloe said now sitting on the glass desk.

"I know that, but I just don't want you to see what I am doing yet" Lex said before opening the laptop again, due to Chloe moving to the chair on the other side of the desk.

"Fine, fine" Chloe said pouting with her arms crossed over her chest. The silence lasted all of two minutes before Chloe started talking again.

"Lex you want to talk to the guy with Olanwsky's?" Chloe said thinking about Clark back in Smallville with his twins. Lex looked surprised that Chloe was offering to talk with someone from Smallville.

"Sure" Lex said fingers moving over the keys to enter in the IM password to IM Clark, the guy in Smallville.

"I believe his IM name is….farm boy of all things" Chloe said before giggling at Clark's dorky IM screen name. Lex looked up and into Chloe's eyes before a smirk made its way to his face.

"All right, pull up a chair" Lex said sliding over so that Chloe could sit next to him by the laptop. Chloe dragged a chair behind the desk and took over the laptop to get an IM conversation with Clark going.

Destinys_foil says: Clark?

Farm Boy says: Who is this?

Destinys_foil says: Chloe, I am with my friend and this is their IM

Farm Boy says: Oh gotcha, so how is Metropolis treating you?

Destinys_foil says: Good, I didn't get a chance to talk to Tate but I knew that was going to happen

Farm Boy says: Sorry about that

Destinys_foil says: it's all good, so you and the kids made it home alright?

Farm Boy says: Yes Aunt Chloe!

"Aunt Chloe?" Lex said looking at Chloe as she turned red at the words that Clark had written.

Destinys_foil says: Clark!

Farm Boy says: Oh was I supposed to not say that? *shocked*

"Oh I like him" Lex said laughing at what Clark had written.

"You would like someone who makes fun of me" Chloe said pouting before going back to her conversation with Clark.

Destinys_foil says: So how are the babies?

Farm Boy says: Fine, Arianna and Zaiden both slept the whole way home, which was good because I didn't have to pull over too many times. I just put them down actually, after a good feeding.

Destinys_foil says: Good

Farm Boy says: So when do you think you will be back?

Destinys_foil says: Well I figure a few days here at the most. My friend is in town for Spring Break and I want to spend at least a day with him.

"Thanks Chloe, I didn't know you cared" Lex said as he read what she wrote to Farm Boy a.k.a Clark Kent.

Farm Boy says: Alright, just be careful

Destinys_foil says: Now look who's getting all parental on me?

Farm Boys says: I can I have two kids to look after

Destinys_foil says: LOL, fine I agree that you do.

Farm Boy says: Hello Chloe's friend *waves*

"Isn't that nice" Chloe said looking over at Lex to see his reaction. A look of longing was what met her eyes.

"Lex why don't you talk to him while I go to the powder room" Chloe said leaving before Lex had a chance to respond.

Farm Boy says: Hello?

Lex hesitated before he decided to answer.

Destinys_foil says: Chloe has gone to the "powder room"

Farm Boy says: okay, well hello Chloe's friend

Destinys_foil says: Hello to you as well, Clark

Farm Boy says: What might your name be since you seem to know mine?

Destinys_foil says: Alexander

Farm Boy says: Well hi Alexander *said in a fake British accent*

Destinys_foil says: That was sorely lacking

Farm Boy says: Well I am on a farm so I have to go with what I know.

Destinys_foil says: Indeed

Farm Boy says: See that is what I mean, me I would have been like whatever or sure, but you said indeed. Nice and proper like the British.

Destinys_foil says: I call it manners *smirks*

Farm Boy says: I have manners just not that high dollar manners.

Destinys_foil says: I will give you that then. So what was it like to be pregnant?

Farm Boy says: Amazing is the only word to explain it. I was cursing the person who got me pregnant when I went into labor but I wouldn't change it for the world. I love my children and I don't know what I would do with out them now.

Destinys_foil says: Wow

Farm Boy says: Yeah, that about sums it up for me

"I'm back" Chloe said standing in the door striking a pose.

"Sound the trumpets" Lex said before going back to the IM, Chloe smirked at Lex but he didn't notice due to the fact that he was writing Clark again.

Destinys_foil says: So your babies' names are what again?

Farm Boy says: Arianna Maelle Kent and Zaiden Nicholas Kent

Destinys_foil says: Those are good names

Farm Boy says: I thought so.

"Lex" Chloe said trying again to get Lex's attention.

"In a minute" Lex said reading the laptop screen.

Farm Boy says: Well I have to go now; I hear one of the babies crying

Destinys_foil says: Okay, you take care of my niece and nephew

Farm Boy says: Will do and it was nice talking with you Alexander

Destinys_foil says: You as well

"Lex" Chloe said spinning in the chair that she has taken from Lex.

"Chloe" Lex responded back trying not to laugh at Chloe's child like enthusiasm about the chair.

"So what are we going to do the rest of the day?"

"Well I have to get some fencing items that I have to special order before I go back to Princeton" Lex said thinking about what had to be done before he left in a few days for Princeton.

"That isn't any fun" Chloe said pouting at the idea of shopping with Lex. They had gone on occasion and Chloe always seemed to come back with a migraine and bags of clothes that she would never wear. Lex made her buy due to his lack of caring about price, so she tended to buy things that were way too pricey and so not her.

"Chloe I have to get the fencing gear here, due to the fact that I need some new whites and they have my measurements on file. From there how about you pick what we do?" Lex said trying to compromise with Chloe about what they would do that day.

"Fine, but only if you promise not to drag me to some store that I have no business being in" Chloe said standing up and making her way toward the door.

"You, Ms. Sullivan, have a deal" Lex said following Chloe out of the room and then out of the house and into his Solstice that had yet to be parked by the staff.

"Well let's get going" Chloe said as Lex took off down the driveway and into traffic. It was many hours later that Chloe and Lex arrived back to Lex's house with tons of shopping bags.

"I still don't know how you talked me into going shopping with you, again" Chloe said huffing due to the fact that some how Lex had gotten her to go shopping yet again with him, and now her bank account and the bags around her showed it.

"Chloe, I didn't pull you into Le Petite I have no need to go in there. You saw something in the window for your "niece and nephew" and you went in. I merely followed you into the store to have a look around." Lex said smug in the fact that he had stuck to his guns about not shopping and it was Chloe that had pulled them into the shopping frenzy that usually accompanied them when they shopped.

"Lex" Chloe said whining due to the fact that she knew he was right.

"Chloe don't even try it. You did it and now you have to live with the fact that Lex Luthor did not make you, Chloe Sullivan spend tons of money on your friend's children" Lex said sitting down now in the desk chair that was behind the desk. Chloe flopped down on the couch resting while Lex checked his e-mail to see if there were any pressing issues or concerns.

"Would you like dinner?" Lex asked Chloe after checking his e-mail and finding nothing pressing.

"Yeah that would be good" Chloe said right as her stomach gave a grumble.

"Let me let Susannah know" Lex said walking over to the intercom and pressing the button to alert the staff that they there needed.

"Mr. Luthor" a heavy Italian accent said through the intercom.

"Ms. Sullivan and I would like a supper prepared" Lex said before waiting for the response.

"I will get on that right away, sir. Is there anything in particular that you or Ms. Sullivan would like?"

"Chloe?" Lex said looking to Chloe to see if she wanted anything special.

"Nah" Chloe said and then went back to sorting through the bags of stuff that she had gotten for Zaiden and Arianna.

"Susannah nothing special that we can come up with" Lex said before looking over at the glee on Chloe's face. He if wasn't gay and she wasn't taken, he would gladly be with Chloe.

"I shall ring you when it is ready" the voice said before clicking off. Lex made his way over to Chloe and sat down next to her as she sorted the clothing and toys that she had lying around her.

"So who gets what?" Lex said looking at the piles

"Well that over there is Arianna's and that over there is Zaiden's" Chloe said pointing to various piles sitting either on the floor on in her lap. Lex nodded his head and tried to hide from Chloe the fact that he was laughing at her. It was a bit later that the intercom clicked back on and Susannah announced that dinner was ready. Chloe and Lex made quick work of the food that had been prepared and then they retreated back to the den where they had started from.

"I wanna do something" Chloe said after putting the piles bad into their bags.

"Well do you have an idea on what you would like to do?" Lex asked always proper in his wordings.

"Well I heard about this party that is tonight" Chloe said hesitant to ask Lex to go to a party. Lex wasn't much of a party go-er but when he went he "did it big" so to speak.

"What kind of party?" Lex said looking at Chloe with skepticism on his face.

"Well I don't know much, but I heard that it was just a welcome back party for the Marrow boys" Chloe said trying to remember the specifics of the party.

"You mean Owen and Bryce?" Lex asked stunned that he had not heard about the party.

"Yeah, sort of a last minute deal. The who's who of Metropolis will be there to welcome Bryce back from Spain and Owen back from Malaysia." Chloe said wondering if she had mixed up who went where.

"They're back?" Lex said amazed that the Marrow boys were back from their "finding their selves" pilgrimage that they had taken.

"Seems to be" Chloe said looking at Lex's face to see if she could find a decision in his eyes, that was a no but she could try.

"It would be uncouth of us to not welcome them back properly" Lex said trying hide his excitement of going to the party. There was a small chance, but a chance none the less, that Clark could be at the party. The who's who would definitely have the McBride's on the list.

"Well it sounds like we have a party to get ready for" Chloe said bouncing in her seat at the idea of going to the party. She knew for a fact that a McBride would be there, which one would remain to be seen, but she couldn't wait to see if her suspicions were correct about the where abouts of Clark McBride.

"Well I guess we should get ready then" Lex said making his way over to the door to the den and then out into the hallway with Chloe following behind.

"My stuff still here?" Chloe asked moving along with Lex toward his bedroom.

"It should be, I haven't alerted the staff to get rid of it" Lex said just as they arrived to a door that both knew was Chloe's guest bedroom.

"'K, see you in a bit" Chloe said before entering the room and then closing the door so that she could get ready. She may not have her standard "party gear" but it wasn't such a big deal with it being informal. Lex made his way to his room with thoughts on whether or not Clark would be there. Both emerged from their rooms at the same time, with casual but uniquely them clothing on.

"Ready" Chloe said bouncing more now that they were going to be on their way.

"That I am" Lex said making his way back down stairs and out to the car that still sat in the drive. Chloe hopped in and waited for Lex to take off as he usually did. She was not disappointed in that though, because not two seconds later Lex peeled out of the driveway off to the party.

"Luthor" a man's voice said as Chloe and Lex made their way into the party proper. It seemed that they were fashionably late, and the Marrow twins noticed.

"Marrow" Lex said not sure which Marrow twin he was speaking with.

"Owen is off doing his thing" Bryce said, as Lex figured due to the reference of the other brother.

"How goes things Bryce?" Lex asked casually as they walked around the party. As soon as Chloe arrived she had ditched him to go and find out a scoop that she had heard recently from her trip to Metropolis.

"Oh well you know, I can't complain. Glad to be home that is for sure." Bryce said with a leer on his face.

"Hmmm" Lex said looking around the room for Clark's body anywhere in the mix, so he missed the leer that Bryce was giving him.

"How about you Lex?" Bryce said still staring at Lex's body.

"Princeton is keeping me pretty busy"

"Still fencing?"

"On the squad at Princeton" Lex said before giving up looking for Clark any longer. The young man was either not at the party or was there and Lex just couldn't find him.

"I may have to take in one of your bouts" Bryce said his voice getting husky, due to the fact that he was trying to get Lex's attention. Lex finally noticed that Bryce was a bit too close and his voice was a bit too husky for this to be a friendly conversation.

"You do that, now if you will excuse me" Lex said trying to get away, it didn't work.

"There is my brother, why don't we go and say hello" Bryce said getting ready to touch Lex's hand to drag him over to his brother. Lex stopped him in his tracks.

"You will not touch me" Lex said walking over toward where Owen was talking with Chloe.

"Owen" Lex said standing next to Chloe and leaving a stunned Bryce behind him.

"I see my bother found you" Owen said amusement in his tone.

"You could say that" Lex said looking at the two of them and wondering how he could bring up Clark McBride without too much suspicion.

"So is any body good here?" Chloe said looking around for any one she could get a scoop from.

"Well one of the McBride's are here" Owen said thinking about who else had showed up for the party.

"Which one?" Lex asked trying to get as many details as possible.

"The girl, Jessie" Owen said distaste in tone, due to the fact that Jessie McBride had tried on multiple occasions to get in his pants.

"Although, Chloe I think I saw your brother and from what I hear you don't see Tate Sullivan without Scott McBride following shortly behind these days. So I would imagine that Scott McBride is here as well" Owen said looking out over the crowd trying to see any sign of either of the men being spoken about.

"Well isn't that great" Chloe said sarcastic, due to the fact that her brother had managed to talk her father into letting him come to the party. Tate Sullivan had always been a partier and now that he had been kicked out of Princeton, it seemed that he was taking his partying to the next level. Lex was just about to respond when he caught sight of a shirt that looked extremely familiar to him. Lex started to walk off, but was stopped by Chloe.

"Lex where are you going?"

"Oh I thought I saw someone that I needed to speak with" Lex said trying to still get away, due to being able to see the shirt but not the face that had the shirt on.

"Oh, okay" Chloe said eyeing Lex as if he had a second head. There was something going on and she was going to figure it out. Lex moved off toward where he had seen the shirt in question. As he approached he noticed that the person was with Bryce Marrow. As he got closer he noticed that the person wearing the shirt was not in fact Clark McBride, but instead Tate Sullivan.

"Sullivan" Lex called out to get Tate's attention.

"Alexander" Tate said happily now that it seemed that Lex was speaking to him.

"Where did you get the shirt?" Lex said curtly, getting angry that Tate had on the shirt that Clark had. This was just the sort of thing to happen to him.

"Oh I took it from Chloe" Tate said in a dismissive tone. Lex perked up at the idea of Chloe knowing Clark.

"And do you know where Chloe got the shirt?" Lex said hoping that Tate would be of some sort of help.

"Nah, I took it when she was asleep. Why do you like it?" Tate said trying to show off his body through the shirt.

"Something like that" Lex said trying to figure out if Chloe would let him have the shirt.

"Tate" Chloe said coming up after seeing Lex and Tate talking. She had finally figured out that Clark Kent was Clark McBride, and she was hesitant to tell Lex this. Chloe had figured out early on that there was something about Clark that wasn't quite right for Smallville, and it wasn't the Olanwsky's.

"Chloe what are you doing here?" Tate said angry that his sister had come into the conversation with Lex.

"Oh I came with Lex" Chloe said eyeing the two men and wondering if Lex had figured something out about Clark.

"Well could you maybe leave or something? Alexander and I were having a conversation." Tate said sneering at his sister.

"Well if I heard correctly, you not only stole the shirt you have on but you also don't fill it out correctly" Chloe said laughing when her brother turned red due to the blow that she had just given him.

"Chloe" Tate said anger evident in his voice.

"Tate, just give me back my shirt" Chloe said with her hand out waiting for Tate to take off the shirt.

"I don't have anything else to wear, are you crazy?" Tate said eyeing his sister, but then turning when he saw Bryce coming closer.

"Bryce do you have a shirt my brother can borrow?" Chloe said to Bryce as he made his way over to the conversation.

"Sure, why?" Bryce asked confused on what was going on.

"Oh my brother stole the shirt he has on and I would appreciate it back now." Chloe said her hand still out waiting for the shirt to be placed in it.

"I'm not giving it back now" Tate said in a huff, due to the fact that Lex liked the shirt and he wanted to wear it to get Lex's attention.

"Oh you are giving it back and you are giving it back now" Chloe said walking right up to her brother and giving him the "Sullivan stare" as Lex called it. Tate for some reason couldn't do it, but Chloe was deadly when she used it.

"Fine" Tate said after a moment of receiving "the stare".

"Good" Chloe said happily, waiting for Tate to take off the shirt. Tate slowly took it off as if trying to entice Lex. Lex had, had a piece of that and it wasn't as great as Tate thought it to be. Clark on the other hand was everything he wanted and more. He would beg if he had to, to get the shirt that Chloe now had in her hands.

"Thank you oh brother of mine" Chloe said before walking away, knowing that Lex would follow soon after.

"Excuse me" Lex said following after Chloe to get the shirt she had in her hands.

"Alexander!" Tate yelled shirtless with Bryce standing next to him looking as if he had the wind knocked out of him. Lex paid him no mind, and continued to follow Chloe until they were both out of the house and in the backyard where all the love action seemed to be taking place.

"Chloe" Lex said once Chloe stopped by the pool that was shimmering in the spring night.

"Lex" Chloe said turning around and coming face-to-face with Lex. Lex didn't even get a chance to ask for the shirt because Chloe handed it to him.

"Thank you" Lex said looking at the shirt.

"Don't worry about it" Chloe said looking at Lex and waiting for him to explain why he wanted the shirt.

"Clark had a shirt like this on" Lex started out with.

"Okay, seems like you could get this anywhere" Chloe said playing along as if she didn't know that Clark Kent was Clark McBride. She would confront Clark once she got back, but she first had to decide on if Lex should know.

"Well I tried to find a shirt like this one and can't" Lex said not looking at the shirt as he rubbed his thumb over the soft material but looking out across the pool.

"Why are you so into this Clark?" Chloe said trying to feel her way through what Lex was feeling.

"He was something, so, so amazing" Lex said with a glazed look on his face. He had gone back to that night many months ago, and was reliving it as he spoke to Chloe.

"He looked at me and didn't see Alexander Luthor; he saw Lex a guy that was sort of lonely. He was something that I could only hope to have in my life" Lex said sadly as he remembered the morning after and what had happened.

"So what happened?" Chloe said wondering how some one could affect Lex so much in such a short period of time.

"Scott McBride happened" Lex spat out as he remembered the words that spilled from the other man's mouth and into Clark's and Lex's ears.

"I don't get it" Chloe said confused, no one could ruffle Lex's feathers but she was seeing for the first time since she had known the other teen that Lex's feathers were ruffled and ruffled good.

"You know how I feel about Scott McBride" Lex stated to Chloe as more of a statement and not a question.

"Sure, can't stand to be in the same room with him" Chloe said remembering a time when Lex had literally left a building due to Scott being in the building.

"Well not only was Scott McBride at the party, I had just slept with his younger brother" Lex said raising an eyebrow to Chloe, hoping she could see where this was going.

"So to get away from Scott you bolted and forgot that Clark was even there" Chloe stated stunned that Lex would do that to some one that he so obviously cared about.

"About sums it up in one" Lex stated sadly looking down at the shirt and then into Chloe's eyes.

"Wow" Chloe said amazed, they were silent for a moment before Lex regrouped and started to ask her about the shirt.

"So where did you get this shirt?" Lex said lifting the shirt in question up and eyeing it and Chloe.

"A friend let me borrow it" Chloe said wording the sentence very carefully. She would wait and see if Lex's feelings for Clark would last or if this was just a passing fancy for Lex. Clark couldn't afford for Lex to come into his life only to then leave it in the end.

"And does this friend have a name?" Lex said noticing that Chloe was leaving something out.

"They do" Chloe said smiling at Lex, to let him know that he was going to have to do better than that to get the name out of her.

"Chloe" Lex prompted before a loud noise came from inside the house.

"What was that?" Chloe asked finding the distraction as a good way to get Lex off her back about whose shirt it was.

"Well…." Lex was cut off by Bryce and Tate running out of the house and over to where Lex and Chloe were standing.

"Alex" Tate said smiling at Lex with what both Chloe and Lex expected was his "sexy" smile.

"Tate" Chloe said humor laced in her tone.

"I wasn't speaking with you" Tate said snottily to Chloe, like that was going to stop her from carry a conversation with Lex.

"What do you want?" Lex asked eyeing both Bryce and Tate.

"Well there was this bet" Tate said before looking over to Bryce and seeing the evil grin on his face. Lex began to worry when Tate took a step closer.

"What are you doing?" Lex asked before taking a step back and looking behind him to see the pool was a few steps back.

"Well I made a bet with Bryce here" Tate said glancing one last time over his shoulder to Bryce, and seeing the thumbs up continued talking.

"And I sort of lost the bet, so now I have to do what he requests of me" Tate said taking the final step toward Lex due to the fact that Lex couldn't move back anymore because he was at the pool's edge.

"Tate" Chloe said seeing the look on Lex's face that promised deadly things for your future if you didn't stop now.

"Chloe what did I tell you?" Tate said sneering at his sister before turning back to Lex and then running his hand down the front of Lex's shirt.

"Alexander" Tate purred to Lex, while Bryce got a hard look on his face all of a sudden.

"Sullivan, I would advise you to take your hands off of me and now" Lex stated calmly before glaring at Tate.

"Alex" Tate whined while continuing to run his hand down Lex's front.

"Tate, quit touching him" Bryce demanded while grabbing Tate's hand away from Lex's body. It was at that moment that Lex decided to make a quick get away and dashed around the now fighting men.

"Chloe" Lex said before striding into the house and out toward his car, waiting for Chloe to follow. Chloe walked out of the house not five minutes after Lex had.

"Lex" Chloe said jogging up to Lex.

"I'll kill them" Lex stated calmly as he got in his car and began the engine.

"I would advise against that. That sort of thing is not to be over looked" Chloe stated before she began to laugh. The whole situation was quite amusing if you thought about it.

"Chloe" Lex stated before peeling out of the green light.

"Come on, my brother was really trying to seduce you and Bryce Marrow got jealous because he thought it was actually working" Chloe said laughing harder now. She had gotten the scoop from Owen Marrow, about how his brother and Tate Sullivan thought that they would be able to get into Lex's pants by the end of the party.

"What do you mean?" Lex asked as he drove Chloe back to the mansion for the night.

"Well from what I gathered, Tate and Bryce made a bet that they would be able to get into your pants by the end of the night."

"And how did you find this out?" Lex asked angry that someone would do such a thing.

"I have my ways" Chloe said shaking a finger at Lex. The rest of the drive was made in silence due to the fact that Lex was so mad he didn't want to speak and Chloe didn't want to speak for fear of Lex bringing up the shirt and where she got it.

"Home sweet home" Chloe said as Lex pulled into the circle drive in front of the house. Lex got out of the car without speaking and made a bee line for his den. Chloe followed closely behind worried that Lex was about to do something that he would regret later. By the time Chloe arrived Lex already had out the liquor and looked to be on his second glass of scotch.

"Lex" Chloe said worried for Lex now.

"What?" Lex barked out at Chloe.

"Lex what do you think you are doing?" Chloe said getting angry due to her treatment from Lex.

"What does it look like, I plan to get drunk" Lex said before gulping down another scotch shot.

"Don't do this" Chloe said wringing her hands at the thought of Lex getting wasted.

"Why not?" Lex said now sitting in the leather chair that he always sat in when not working in the den.

"Because they aren't worth it" Chloe said hoping she was right on why Lex wanted to get drunk.

"Who said I was getting drunk over Tate and Bryce?" Lex said looking at Chloe with a glint in his eyes that Chloe hadn't seen for a long time. Chloe always referred to as the "Luthor glint" and usually bad things happened shortly after the glint entered Lex's eyes.

"Well you left the party shortly after the whole bet thing came out" Chloe said pointing out the obvious and then regretting it as a smirk came across Lex's face.

"Ah the bet, that you seemed to know so much about" Lex purred and Chloe knew she was in for it now.

"I asked around about it, I….I …." Chloe stammered for a moment before Lex cut her off.

"I find it amazing that you knew about the bet, but yet did nothing to stop it" Lex said calmly before taking another slip of scotch.

"I didn't know about the bet!" Chloe said yelling at Lex, trying to get a reaction out of him.

"Of course you knew, my question to you is did you know before or after they came out?" Lex said finishing off the glass of scotch and then standing back up and moving toward the bar that held more liquor.

"Lex, you have to believe me. I didn't know about the bet until Tate said something and I had asked around before and it seems that Tate and Bryce both were very vocal on what the bet was about" Chloe said angry that Lex didn't believe her.

"Hmmm" was Lex's response, but by this time Chloe had, had enough.

"You know what Lex" Chloe said waiting to see if Lex would respond, he didn't so she continued.

"Whatever!" Chloe said before walking out of the room and toward the guest bedroom that was hers. When she entered, she gathered all of her clothes and bags before leaving the room once again. As she walked out of the house, she could see Lex still sitting in the den drinking. She was glad that she hadn't "spilled the beans" about Clark, because Clark couldn't have someone like Lex in his life right now. Chloe waited until a taxi arrived and rode back to her father's house, she had some words she needed to say to Tate and she was going to say them before she left for Smallville in the morning. Chloe arrived home just in time to see her father grab Tate by the arm and drag him into the house.

"Tate Jeremiah Sullivan" Gabe Sullivan yelled with the front door open, so that Chloe could hear the whole yelling session.

"Dad" Tate said in a small voice.

"Don't you dad me, first you get kicked out of Princeton. Princeton of all places, and then you decide that you want to come back to Metropolis to find yourself. Tate you are to either shape up or ship out" Gabe said standing with his hands on his hips and standing over Tate, who sat on the couch.

"Dad you don't understand" Tate said starting to whine, Chloe instead cut him off.

"Oh I understand perfectly, you Tate Jeremiah Sullivan are a self-centered, egotistical brat" Chloe said making her way into the living room where her father stood and her brother sat.

"I'm not" Tate said before crossing his arms across his chest. Chloe raised her eyebrows and focused on the posture that Tate had taken.

"You sure about that?" Chloe said now standing next to her father.

"It's not fair" Tate whined again, due to the fact that his sister and father were ganging up on him.

"Life isn't fair Tate" Gabe said trying to talk some sense into his son. Tate took after his mother in regards to his attitude and thinking, it was one thing that Gabe Sullivan did not miss about his ex-wife.

"This is all Chloe's fault" Tate said hoping to get out of whatever punishment his father was going to give him.

"This has nothing to do with me Tate, so keep my name out of your mouth when talking about you getting kicked out of Princeton and becoming a loser" Chloe said with a smirk on her face. She loved when she could take her brother down a peg or two with her father present.

"But" Tate said ready with an excuse on why it was Chloe's fault.

"I don't want to hear it Tate" Gabe said before pinching the bridge of his nose. Sometimes it was just easier to have Chloe deal with Tate; she seemed to always get somewhere with him.

"Dad" Tate said realizing that his father was fed up with his current activities.

"Tate listen to me; you are to either one get a full-time job or two enroll at Metropolis University and become a full-time student. You chose, but know this. I am not paying for your education, you had that chance and you blew it"

"So how am I supposed to pay?" Tate said worried that he would have to get a job in the end.

"Scholarships, grants, loans, hell get a part-time job. I don't care as long as you do something besides party and lounge around here" Gabe said before leaving the room after his speech.

"Wow, dad is pissed" Tate said stunned and looking at Chloe with wide eyes.

"You just now figuring that one out?" Chloe asked amazed that her brother could be so dense about certain things, and it always seemed to center around their father.

"Well" Tate said before shrugging his shoulders and looking at Chloe for some type of advice.

"So what do I do?" Tate said hoping Chloe would answer him.

"Sounds like you have some decisions to make, and you need to make them quick." Chloe said before getting ready to leave the room. She was stopped by Tate speaking about Lex.

"I was going to go to Europe this summer and watch Lex fence, but now I don't have any sort of cash to do that with."

"Well I guess you should have planned things better" Chloe said before walking out of the room shaking her head. She didn't want to tell her brother that Lex wasn't worth the fight, because she knew that her feelings were speaking for her and that it wasn't true. Chloe made her way to her room thinking about whether or not she would tell Clark about Lex, She decided not to say anything to Clark even though she was pretty sure that he wouldn't do anything but there was still that chance and she didn't want to chance it yet. Chloe fell asleep with thoughts of Clark and his children, and her brother on her mind.

"Chloe!" was yelled through the door of her bedroom. Chloe could only groan due to being woken up at such an early hour.

"What!" Chloe yelled back, she just absolutely refused to get out of bed for her brother.

"I need to talk to you" Tate said through the door. Chloe could only sigh at what her brother wanted to talk to her about at this early hour.

"Come in" Chloe said before sitting up in bed and making her self comfortable for the talk that she was about to have with her brother. Tate peeked around the door into the room to see Chloe sitting against the headboard of the bed.

"Chlo" Tate said with a smile on his face, he had a huge favor to ask Chloe and he needed to be in her good graces and at the present time that wasn't the case. Chloe rolled her eyes at the obvious "buttering up" she was getting from her brother.

"Tate what do you want? I have to go back to Smallville today and you are keeping me from my sleep" Chloe said crossing her arms over her chest.

"I have a huge favor to ask you" Tate said coming over and sitting on the bed that Chloe currently occupied.

"Tate, do you think that after last night that you have the right to ask me for a favor?" Chloe said getting angry that her brother hadn't taken her warning seriously from last night.

"I'm sorry about that, but you know how dad gets with me and I thought that he wouldn't jump down my throat. I was so wrong on that" Tate said mumbling under his breath.

"Tate" Chloe said getting ready to yell, but Tate stopped her.

"Chloe you have to help me" Tate said with his best wounded look.

"What, not that I am promising you anything" Chloe said eyeing her brother, whatever it was Tate was serious about it.

"Can I borrow some money?" Chloe eye's narrow at the mention of money.

"Why?"

"Well" Tate said hesitating, which made Chloe jump to the conclusion that this was about him going to Europe to get Lex back.

"Well, I'm waiting" Chloe said waiting to see if she was right.

"Well, I really think that it would be good for me and Alexander to go to Europe together" Tate said sounding stronger with each word he spoke.

"And have you asked Lex about this?" Chloe said her mind spinning with what her brother was asking her for.

"Well, no" Tate said looking at the comforter on Chloe's bed.

"And you think it would be a good idea, how?" Chloe asked truly amazed that her brother was so in denial about Lex.

"Well, I think we just need to talk things through and it seems that he doesn't want to do that now, so I figure once he is removed from things he will have cooled off and we would be able to work through things" Tate said sounding like he had spent a lot of time thinking about his answer, and it amazed her that her brother had even thought about it. She still wouldn't help, but she could still be amazed.

"No" Chloe said after Tate finished his explanation.

"No" Tate said dumbly, as if he didn't hear her correctly.

"Yeah, no" Chloe said looking at Tate, and the shock written over his face.

"Why? It's for a good cause" Tate said whining again, Chloe could never understand what Lex saw in her brother besides the above normal looks.

"Tate you stalking Lex in Europe is not a good cause. You should have stayed at Princeton instead of getting kicked out and then maybe you would have been able to go, but that would have to mean that Lex and you are speaking in a friendly manner and from what I could tell that was a big no. So how is stalking him to Europe going to help?" Chloe said getting angrier at her brother's request.

"I am not stalking him" Tate said indignant.

"Then what do you call following him to a different country when you two aren't even seeing each other or for that matter speaking civilly to each other?" Chloe asked truly confused on how her brother could be so in denial.

"It was a misunderstanding, which I have yet to work out with Alexander" Tate said looking like a kicked puppy at Chloe.

"I don't find that you getting it on with someone else and Lex finding out a misunderstanding"

"But he was with some one else too" Tate said distain in his voice.

"Only after he found you, don't you dare try and make this seem like this is somehow his fault, you did it now you have to live with the consequences and that is that Lex isn't yours any more." Chloe said while thinking that Lex would only belong to only one person and that person lived in Smallville with his two children.

"Chloe you don't understand" Tate said getting ready for a huge whining fest that Chloe didn't want to be apart of.

"Tate, look I'm not giving you the money so you can stop right now. Go and get a job and save up if you want to do that, but remember that Lex is not yours." Chloe said moving down on the bed and then pulling the covers over her head. Chloe heard her brother sigh before the door was slammed shut.

"Loser" Chloe said once the door was closed behind her brother. Chloe muttered for a few more minutes before she finally gave up that she wasn't going to be able to fall asleep again, so she got up. As Chloe made her way downstairs, she could hear her brother whining to one of his friends about the trip and now not having any money for it. When she heard the three words that she didn't want to hear coming from her brother, she could only groan.

"Sweet, you rock" Tate said before talking for a bit more before whooping loudly and skipping into the kitchen where both Chloe and her father were sitting eating breakfast.

"What was that all about?" Gabe asked his son with his eyes watching Tate closely.

"Scott is going to let me borrow some cash for a trip this summer" Tate said beaming at his father and then smirking at his sister.

"Don't need that loan sis" Tate said before sitting down waiting for someone to cater to him.

"Great" Chloe said with as much sarcasm as she could, before getting up and taking her and her father's cereal bowls to the sink. Chloe rinsed them out before loading them into the dishwasher, knowing the whole time that Tate expected her to get him breakfast.

"Well I better get ready to go" Chloe said starting to walk out of the room; she was not disappointed when Tate spoke.

"Well" Tate said huffing due to the fact that neither his father nor sister had gotten his breakfast ready.

"What?" both Gabe and Chloe said looking at Tate as if he had a second head.

"Aren't you going to get me breakfast?" Tate didn't see his father's face, but Chloe had and she could tell that Tate would soon be homeless if he didn't stop acting as if the world revolved around him.

"No" Chloe said before pushing her father out of the room and up the stairs so that he could get ready for the day.

"What am I to do with him Chloe?" Gabe Sullivan asked his daughter.

"I really hate to say it dad, but I think you need to kick him out. He is obviously under the impression that we are at his beck and call, and to tell you the truth it is time that he get a piece of the real world. I think he thinks that when I took a year off that I just sit around doing nothing all day, and that isn't the case." Chloe said standing in her father's bedroom while he sat on the bed with his head in his hands.

"Chloe" Gabe sighed out before standing up and making his way over to where Chloe stood.

"Dad, it will be okay" Chloe said before embracing her father for a few moments. The peacefulness was broken by Tate yelling from downstairs.

"Chloe, dad; one of you guys come down and help me."

"Does he ever stop?" Gabe muttered before going to the door. Chloe stopped him, "dad let me handle this but I will say this before I go. Tate is self-centered egoistical brat that needs to find out that the world doesn't care about him. I say it is high time that you let him take up residence with one of his buddies that he seems to hang around. If that means he goes back to New Jersey with Scott McBride, than so be it but don't you dare help him out anymore. He needs to learn and the only way that will happen is if we stop catering to him." Chloe said before leaving the room to make her way downstairs.

"What?" Chloe said once she reached the bottom of the stairs to see Tate standing there.

"The computer is acting up and I need to IM Scott about something, since dad took my wheels away last night" Tate said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Well what did you expect dad to do? Give you a pat on the back and say good job?" Chloe said while making her way over to the computer in question. She had been on it once while she was home and didn't have any trouble so she couldn't even begin to guess what is wrong with the computer. Chloe sat at the desk and clicked on Tate's name. There was now an area for a password to be entered.

"What's the problem?" Chloe asked seeing that nothing looked wrong to her. She had her username password protected due to the fact that Tate had a tendency to use her stuff with out asking and she didn't like it when he tried to IM Lex using her IM screen name.

"I didn't assign a password" Tate said looking at the screen and then to Chloe as if she had done it.

"Well I didn't either; didn't dad say earlier yesterday that you are not allowed to use the Internet?" Chloe asked trying to see if it was okay to sign Tate in. She of course didn't want to, but she also didn't want to not sign him in only to find out that it was okay.

"That's right" Gabe said coming down the stairs his face set in a hard mask. Chloe could tell by his posture that something big was about to happen.

"Dad" Tate whined to his father before catching the look on his father's face.

"Tate come with me" Gabe said leaving the room and walking down the hall to the living room. Chloe sat in the chair wondering if she needed to go or not. Chloe decided she was going to stay out of the line of fire on this one, so she moved upstairs to get ready to head back to Smallville. As she packed she remembered that she didn't drive to Metropolis for the weekend, Clark did so now she needed to find a way back to Smallville. From the look on her father's face, that wouldn't be happening so she decided to call Jimmy.

"Hello" a male's voice answered the phone.

"Jimmy" Chloe said with a smile on her face.

"Chlo, what's up?" Jimmy asked through the phone.

"Well besides the fact that my brother is an idiot, and I am not happy with Lex right now, nothing much" Chloe said now sitting on her bed that was covered in items that needed to be taken back Smallville with her.

"Fun" Jimmy said in a tone that said otherwise.

"Sure" Chloe said in the same tone back.

"So you rang?"

"Yeah, well I need a ride back to BFE Kansas; can you take your poor little ol' girlfriend back?" Chloe said with as much sweetness as she could muster.

"Sure, today?" Jimmy said already planning out the trip in the distracted voice that indicated that he was deep in thought.

"Yup" Chloe said waiting for Jimmy to respond.

"Okay, should I head on over now?"

"Yeah, I am just packing up a bit of stuff to take back." Chloe said eyeing the huge pile of stuff that was planning to take back with her. Most seemed to be shopping bags from the mini-shopping spree that Lex and herself had.

"Okay, I'm on my way then" Jimmy said before saying goodbye and hanging up. Chloe sighed before getting back to work on packing up the stuff that she wanted to take. It was while she was in the middle of packing up some fresh clothes to take back, that she heard her brother storm up the stairs and slam his way into her room.

"You made him do it" Tate accused Chloe, while Chloe looked around the room for the person that Tate was speaking to like that. Tate knew better than to ever accuse Chloe of anything, but yet here he was accusing her of something that she had no clue about; at least she didn't think so.

"Made who do what?" Chloe asked as she continued to pack up things.

"Made dad kick me out" Tate said crossing his arms across his chest. Chloe had to work very hard at not saying that he deserved it, but she sure as hell wasn't going to have Tate accusing her of something that needed to be done.

"Dad is an adult the last time I checked, so the decision is all his." Chloe said moving toward the door with a hard edge in her eyes. Tate stood his ground and glared at Chloe.

"You still did it" Tate said trying to make Chloe crack.

"And if I did, what are you going to do about it Tate? Listen to me and listen good, 'cause I am only going to say this once. Got it?" Chloe said looking at her brother with pure wrath swirling in her eyes. Tate nodded his head tightly waiting to hear what his sister had to say, he would not be happy when she was done.

"I did tell dad that you needed to be kicked out" Chloe held up her hand to stop the words coming from Tate she wasn't finished and she wanted to make sure that she got what she wanted to get out before Tate would start in on how he was owed this.

"You, Tate Jeremiah Sullivan need to grow up, life isn't about what you think people owe you because if you want to know the truth no one owes you a damn thing. Dad needed to kick you out, because you are obviously under some delusion that we are at your beck and call. We aren't, and further more you should treat us with respect. The most we get out of you is whining about how you deserve this or you deserve that, you don't deserve anything. You were kicked out of Princeton, for what? Oh that's right, you were kicked out for not only flunking your first semester there, you were also seen fighting in some of the university buildings and oh let us not forget the best one. You were actually drunk in one of your classes and then proceeded to hit on the professor." Chloe said with a sneer on her face, she couldn't believe that her brother was such an ass.

"You, you" Tate said his face flushed due to Chloe listing the reasons on why he was kicked out.

"Tate just get out of my way" Chloe said pushing her brother out of the way and making her way downstairs to ask her father for help.

"Dad could you lend me a hand?" Chloe said staring at her father with concern in her eyes. She could see the pain and worry in his eyes for what he had done.

"Sure thing" Gabe said standing up and making his way into Chloe's room where Tate still stood shocked at Chloe's words.

"What did you say to him?" Gabe said once they were outside loading up Jimmy's car.

"That he actually deserved what he got" Chloe said before shrugging her shoulders at the admission.

"Hmmm" Gabe said eyeing Chloe and the car full of bags.

"I'll call you just as soon as I get there" Chloe said hugging her father before she got into her car to make the trip back to Smallville.

"Okay" Gabe said before sighing and watched as Chloe got into the car and ready for the drive.

"Don't let him talk you out of it dad, stand firm" Chloe said before waving out the window and then leaving for Smallville. Gabe waved and made up his mind that his daughter was correct. Gabe didn't get close to the door before Lex pulled up in his Solstice.

"Mr. Sullivan" Lex said getting out of the car and greeting the older man.

"Alexander" Gabe said formally, he was never really sure on what to call Lex due to Tate calling him Alexander and Chloe calling him Lex.

"Call me Lex" Lex said to Gabe before looking at the empty driveway.

"Chloe just left" Gabe said noticing that Lex was looking for a car that had Chloe in it. Lex turned and looked at Gabe.

"Just left"

"Yeah, just about two minutes ago, actually" Gabe said watching Lex's face for any sort of emotions. What he saw there surprised him, there was regret written all over Lex's face.

"You all right there?" Gabe said trying to find out what had the Luthor scion so rattled that he was showing his emotions.

"I said some not nice things to Chloe last night, and when I woke up this morning I realized what an….jerk I had been." Lex said halting in his explanation as Tate flew out of the house with a smile on his face.

"Alexander!" Tate yelling happily, Lex groaned only loud enough for Gabe to hear.

"Sullivan" Lex said his voice and face matching just how much he wanted to see Tate Sullivan.

"Now Alex don't be like that" Tate said trying to wrap an arm around Lex to hug him.

"What did I tell you yesterday?" Lex said his voice cool, while his posture hinted at how much he didn't want to speak with Tate.

"Oh pish" Tate said waving a hand in the air with a negligent air about him.

"It would do you well to remember" Lex said making his way over to his car again.

"Thank you Mr. Sullivan, I will see if I can ring Chloe on her cell" Lex said before starting up the car and then peeling out of the driveway before Tate could speak again.

"Alexander!" Tate yelled to the tail lights of the car. Gabe walked into the house once Lex had made his way down the driveway and out into traffic, which left Tate standing in the driveway with a dumbfounded look on his face.


	10. Act X:  Opposite Directions

_Act X: Opposite Directions_

Clark sat at the kitchen table talking to his mom, when he heard the roar of an engine in the driveway.

"Mom?" Clark said to Martha, wondering if she knew that anyone was coming over.

"Don't know dear" Martha said before wiping her hands on a towel and making her way toward the front of the house to see that there was now an SUV parked in the driveway.

"Mrs. Kent" Chloe said getting out of the SUV and waving to Martha.

"Chloe" Martha said walking down the steps of the house and making her way over to where Chloe seemed to be fighting with something in the backseat.

"Chloe" Martha called again, only to get a bag thrust in her arms.

"I did a bit of shopping for the twins" Chloe explained as she placed two more bags in Martha's arms. Chloe then closed the back door and opened the rear-hatch and grabbed a few more bags.

"Just how much shopping did you do?" Martha asked with humor and amazement in her voice.

"Oh ya know…" Chloe said before starting to make her way into the house with both Martha and Jimmy following her with bags. Once inside Clark called out to his mother.

"In here Clark" was Martha's response. Clark arrived to the living room to see the huge pile of bags sitting near the couch.

"What's this?" Clark said pointing to the pile.

"Did some shopping for the twins" Chloe said before taking out items and showing them to Clark. By the time she was done, it was dinner time.

"Jimmy are you going to stay?" Chloe asked her boyfriend.

"Sure" Jimmy said as he eyed the freshly baked pie that Martha had out for dessert today. After dinner had been made and eaten, Jimmy and Chloe made their way back into town for the night.

"Thank you" Clark said as he waved to Chloe and Jimmy as they left.

"That was nice of Chloe" Jonathan said as he sat in the recliner in the living room still looking over some of the items that Chloe had gotten for the twins.

"That it was" Clark said looking at the items and then bringing them to his room, where he and the babies slept.

_Three months later_….

"Lex we're going to be late!" Jourdan yelled through the closed bathroom door.

"I'm coming" was shouted back.

"Well, we don't have all night" Jourdan said now tapping his foot impatiently.

"Fine" Lex said throwing open the door and glaring at Jourdan. Jourdan on the other hand had his mouth hanging open and was openly checking Lex out.

"Close your mouth" Lex said smirking at Jourdan and his reaction to what he had on.

"If I soooo wasn't taken" Jourdan mumbled as he made his way over to the hotel's room door. Lex could only smirk more, as he followed Jourdan down to the lobby of the hotel. Many stopped and stared at Lex as walked he by in his black leather pants, with a white wife beater with two small fencing foils making an X. They met Ryder in the small bar area of the hotel, before heading out for a night on the town.

"Lex" Ryder said before making their way over to the hot club that they had heard about earlier that day.

"Yes" Lex said eyeing the people in front of him, and wondering how long it would take to get inside.

"Be careful" Ryder said worry lacing his tone. The last time that they had gone out Lex hadn't come back to the hotel until early the next day. Lex just waved away their concerns and entered the club once the bouncer let them in. As soon as they entered the club, Lex glanced over the bodies present to see if there was anyone that fit Clark's description, Lex had decided shortly after arriving back from Spring Break that he would move on with his life and put finding Clark on hold until he got back to the states; being in a different country made it even harder to find out any information, so the search had been put on hold.

"Lex" Jourdan yelled in Lex's ear to get the bald man's attention. Lex nodded his head to Jourdan to signal that he heard him call.

"Ryder and I are over there" Jourdan yelled pointing to a small booth in the club. Lex nodded his head and followed Jourdan over to the booth, where Ryder sat speaking to a man that looked like a male model.

"Hello" the man said once he noticed that there seemed to be two people joining the one person already at the booth.

"Hi" Jourdan said as he slid in next to Ryder, while watching as both Lex and the stranger checked each other out.

"Jourdan" Jourdan shouted over the music to the other man.

"Camdien" the other man said still eyeing Lex.

"That there is Lex and this is Ryder" Jourdan said making the introductions for the others even though it seemed that Camdien was only concerned about one person and that was Lex.

"Pleasure" Camdien said in a slightly British accent, while shaking Lex's hand and then holding on to it for a bit longer than necessary.

"Hmmm" Lex said as he made his way to the other side of the booth for a seat, but it seemed that Camdien had other ideas.

"Care to dance?" Camdien said holding out his hand for Lex to take.

"Sure" Lex said taking Camdien's hand and moving to the dance floor where the house DJ spun multiple tracks to make a heady blend of bass and treble. Once on the floor Lex was spun around so that is back was facing Camdien's front, once positioned Camdien began to sway his hips while holding onto Lex's hips. Lex let the music flow through him and he soon was swaying with Camdien as the tracks blended from one to the other. It was awhile later that found Lex and Camdien at the bar getting something to drink, due to the dancing that they had just done.

"So where are you from?" Camdien yelled to Lex as they sat on the bar stools that over looked the dance floor.

"Kansas if you can believe it" Lex said eyeing a guy on the dance floor that looked suspiciously like Tate Sullivan.

"Kansas" Camdien said stunned at Lex's words.

"Metropolis, Kansas to be precise" Lex said still watching the man on the floor as he walked from person to person asking something.

"Serendipity" Camdien said looking at Lex.

"Why do you say that?" Lex said now turning away from the dance floor to focus on Camdien fully.

"I have a friend that graduated from Vanguard Prep two years ago" Camdien said before signaling the bartender for another drink.

"I just graduated from there" Lex said stunned that he had met someone, who knew a person that had gone to Vanguard Prep in London.

"Small world" Camdien said smiling at Lex and then looking over his shoulder to see someone making their way over toward Lex.

"Lex" Ryder said as he reached Lex at the bar.

"Ryder" Lex said spinning on the stool to face Ryder.

"Jourdan and I are going to head back to the hotel; do you want to come back with us?" Ryder said while eyeing the man next to Lex.

"No, I think I might stay a bit longer if you don't mind" Lex said loud enough for Camdien to hear.

"Okay, if you're sure" Ryder said before heading over to Jourdan and then leaving the club.

"Fancy another dance?" Camdien said with a large smile on his face, there was just something about Lex that had Camdien in overdrive.

"Sure" Lex said walking back onto the dance floor and grinding up against Camdien. It was three songs later that Camdien whispered into Lex's ear.

"Fancy leaving?" Lex looked at Camdien for a moment before deciding that he was here to have fun and if Camdien was going to offer some then he wasn't going to turn it down. Lex didn't answer only grabbed Camdien's hand and began walking toward the door. Once outside, Camdien worked on getting a taxi for the both of them; it didn't take long and both were soon in the taxi and on the way back to Lex's hotel room.

"Nice" Camdien said once he entered Lex's room and had a bit of a look around.

"Can't complain" Lex said walking over to the in room mini-bar.

"Something to drink?" Lex said waving a small bottle of scotch around.

"Nah, think I'll pass" Camdien said sitting on the bed and watching Lex as he moved about the room. It was as Lex walked by for the second time that Camdien made his move, he grabbed Lex around the waist and pulled him into his lap.

"How about we drink later, love" Camdien said kissing the side of Lex's neck that had been calling to him all night. Lex put the empty glass on the floor and straddled Camdien's lap.

"So what do you have in mind?" Lex purred into Camdien's neck as he took in the scent of the man.

"Oh I would say something much more fun then drinking" Camdien whispered before finally kissing Lex full on the lips, Lex groaned for a moment before pulling back a bit to look into Camdien's eyes.

"I think I might be amenable to something a bit more fun than drinking" Lex said with a smirk on his face.

"Good, then let us begin" Camdien said before lying back on the bed and bringing Lex with him. It was many hours later that found Lex and Camdien lying in bed, when there was a loud and hard knock at the door.

"Alexander! I know you're in there." A male voice called through the door. Lex paid it no mind, due to the fact that Camdien had started up again with his stoking upon Lex's body. The knocking continued until the person the other side said:

"Alexander! Don't make me call security" by then Lex was so into what Camdien was doing that he didn't even hear the person on the other side of the door. Camdien on the other hand was busy at work on Lex's body. A few minutes later had Lex calling out a name in ecstasy.

"Clark!" Lex said his body arching into Camdien's touch. Camdien stopped for a minute to make sure that he had heard the name that had just come out of Lex's mouth. The pause was enough that made Lex reverse the roles that they were in. Camdien decided to play along to see if he would hear the name again, it was a few minutes later as Lex pounded into Camdien for the second time that night that the name came as Lex reached his peak.

"Clark!" Lex cried out again before slumping over Camdien's body to help the other man reach his peak. Camdien was stunned at the name that Lex had just called out for the second time that night, but he didn't have enough time to ponder on it due to the fact that the hotel door was slammed in by someone.

"Alexander!" the voice said angry and stunned at what they saw. Lex was lying on his side just sort of looking at the other man before he spoke.

"Is there a reason why you have now broken into my room, Sullivan?" Lex asked a little too casually for it to be safe.

"You didn't answer the first time, and I knew good and well that you were in here." Tate said still standing in the doorway.

"Well, come on in since you seem so keen on the idea" Lex said sitting up a bit with a sheet draped over his lower half. Camdien on the other hand looked around the room for his clothes and found them in a pile on the side of the bed.

"Excuse me" Camdien said before grabbing his clothes and making a mad dash to the bathroom.

"Who in the hell was that?" Tate said shrilly.

"That is no of your concern" Lex said coolly to Tate.

"It is too my concern, when my boyfriend is fucking some British fag" Tate said with a look of contempt on his face.

"Last time I check Sullivan, you and I were not together and I told you to remember that. I am not, nor will I ever be again your boyfriend" Lex said sneering at the term that Tate always loved to use.

"Alex" Tate said starting to whine already about how things were turning out. It was also at this time that Camdien came out of the bathroom fully clothed and still looking stunned due to the name that Lex had called him.

"Ah" Camdien said standing near the bathroom, not sure on what to due.

"Just get the fuck out" Tate said walking over toward Camdien; it was while Camdien looked to Lex to guidance that Tate made his move against Camdien. Tate swung at Camdien and punched him right in the jaw.

"What the hell?" Camdien and Lex said at the same time.

"That will teach you to not touch what is mine" Tate said smugly due to getting a shot in at Camdien. Lex sat on the bed with the sheet about his waist ready to inflict some serious wounds upon Tate.

"Get out" Lex said in a whisper, he'd had enough of Tate and if he didn't leave soon Lex wouldn't be able to reign himself in.

"You heard him" Tate said with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Sullivan I was speaking to you" Lex said from the bed.

"What?" Tate said confused about what was going on.

"You heard me. Get out" Lex said before grabbing the phone and dialing for the front desk.

"Alex what are you doing?" Tate asked worriedly.

"Removing you from my room" Lex said before asking the front desk person to have someone come and escort someone from his room.

"Alex don't do this, we can work this out" Tate said pleading with Lex.

"I don't want to "work it out" and furthermore there is nothing to "work out" in the first place." Lex said eyeing Tate and wondering if it would be worth the effort to ruin his name.

"Alex" Tate whined; it was while this all happened that Camdien made a quick and quiet exit from the room. Lex soon noticed the disappearance of Camdien and let out a sigh, because of Camdien's dismissal.

"Sullivan, get the hell out of my sight" Lex said wrapping the sheet more securely around his waist as me made his way toward the bathroom to clean him self up.

"I won't" Tate said stubbornly to Lex, as if Lex was giving him the option of staying.

"I don't think you understand me" Lex said at the doorway to the bathroom.

"This isn't up for debate, you will be gone from my room by the time I am done with my shower or you will find yourself not only kicked out of the hotel but possibly unable to return back to the states in the near future." Lex said closing and locking the door behind him. He wouldn't put it past Tate to try and come and shower with him. He had done it before when they were a couple, he didn't like it then and he sure as hell wouldn't like it now. Twenty minutes later found Lex walking out of the room to see that Tate had not taken his words seriously.

"Sullivan" Lex said coolly as he made his way over to the phone.

"Alex let's work this out" Tate said coming to stand by Lex trying to entice Lex with his now uncovered top half.

"How about no and put a shirt on" Lex said before slamming the phone down due to Tate pressing the button the phone to end the call.

"Alex I know you are hurt and I can understand that, but this is no way to act" Tate said in a slightly chiding voice.

"Sullivan, are you hard of hearing? Get the hell out of my sight and do it quickly" Lex said making his way over the mini-bar for a scotch. It seemed that when ever he dealt with Tate these days he had to be semi-drunk.

"Alex" Tate whined full out now.

"Sullivan, get out" Lex said through gritted teeth. He could only hope that security would be there soon to escort Tate away.

"Aaah Alex" Tate said wrapping an arm around Lex. That was the worst thing that Tate could have done.

"Do not touch me" Lex said at the same time that a knock came through the door.

"Mr. Luthor" a deep British voice called out. Lex could now sigh in relief that security had arrived and would take care of Tate. Lex walked over to the door, with Tate protesting Lex leaving his arms.

"Yes" Lex said to the man that stood on the other side of the open door.

"I got a call that you were being disturbed."

"Yes, come on in" Lex said opening the door a bit wider and pointing to where Tate stood still topless.

"What's going on?" Tate asked confused as Lex spoke with the man in a hushed tone.

"Alex, answer me" Tate said after he got no response from Lex. It seemed that the man that was with Lex would answer Tate's question for him.

"Mr. Sullivan, how about you come with me?" The large man said walking over toward Tate and then grabbing his arm.

"Let me go" Tate said trying to shake out of the man's hold.

"Alex; tell him that this is just a misunderstanding" Tate said looking to Lex for him to explain to the man that Tate should be allowed in.

"Thank you for removing him, if you could also make sure that he does not in the future try to come into my room I would appreciate it" Lex said watching as the man nodded his head and made his way to the door with Tate is his grasp.

"Alex" Tate said in a panicked voice, due to the fact that Lex was not speaking up for him. The man pulled Tate out of the room and then closed the door behind them. Lex stood on the other side of the door with a smirk on his face that would show Tate never to mess with a Luthor. A few nights later found Ryder, Jourdan and Lex at the same club again.

"Ready" Ryder yelled as the three of them walked into the club again for the second time. It seemed that since Lex went that first time, he had been spending every night at the club trying to find Camdien again, with no luck. Ryder and Jourdan had begun to get worried due to Lex's habits, which seemed to be affecting his fencing. They thought that going with him would maybe slow him down, but it only seemed to speed his partying up.

"You know it" Lex said before sauntering off to the dance floor to grind up on a guy that looked strangely like Camdien, but wasn't.

"He's getting worse" Jourdan yelled to Ryder.

"I know" Ryder said sadly while looking at Lex dancing on the floor. It seemed that since Lex had arrived in Great Britain that the search for Clark McBride had stalled and didn't look to be picked up anytime in the near future if the habits that Lex seemed to have taken up were any indication.

"What do we do?" Jourdan said looking at Lex as well, and the new body that had slid up to grind against Lex.

"I don't know, if we try and help he will just push us away but he has to know that what he is doing isn't the best thing either." Ryder said watching Lex as he spoke to a man that nodded his head once Lex finished speaking.

"Where is he going?" Jourdan said as he watched Lex leave the club and go out into the night.

"I think you know the answer to that already Jourdan" Ryder said humor and sadness lacing his tone. Jourdan watched Lex's frame disappear into the night and he had to wonder on what Lex would do when it was time to go back.

_Meanwhile back in Smallville…_

"Clark"

"Yeah" Clark yelled from the greenhouse that he was in, toward the house.

"Chloe is here to see you" Martha yelled back to Clark.

"Send her on back, I have to finish getting Mr. Tomlinson's order ready" Clark said moving around the greenhouse picking out produce that the man in question had ordered.

"Clark" Chloe said while barreling into the greenhouse.

"Be careful" Clark said pointing to the large pile of produce that sat by the greenhouse doors.

"I still can't believe you farm" Chloe said shaking her head.

"Well, believe it" Clark said going back over to where he was before Chloe came into the greenhouse.

"So where are my two favorite children?" Chloe said looking around the greenhouse for any hint of the babies.

"Mom has them while I get the orders together." Clark said wiping his hands on a rag and then taking the couple of boxes of produce toward the house.

"So is there anything I can have?" Chloe said trying to look in the boxes that were in Clark's arms.

"No, at least not right now" Clark said as he brought the hose over to where the boxes were so that he could wash off the produce before they would make their way into the baskets that Martha had found at Fordman's on sale.

"Come on Clark" Chloe whined as she eyed the raspberries that Clark was now carefully loading into the small, round disposable Tupperware containers.

"Chloe how about I check when I get back from my deliveries" Clark said as he loaded up his truck the produce.

"Sure thing, can I come?" Chloe said bouncing around in place at the idea of making deliveries with Clark.

"Don't see why not, let me let mom know I am leaving" Clark said before walking over to the backdoor and letting Martha know that he was going to go.

"Good to go" Clark said before jumping into the truck and starting it up. Chloe watched the passing scenery once they made it off the Kent's driveway.

"Where to first?" Chloe said eyeing the list of names that Clark had to deliver for. There were over ten names on the list and most of them seemed be requesting fruits from Clark personally.

"Ms. Anderson, I think" Clark plotting out the route for deliveries in his head.

"'K" Chloe said distracted due to her phone ringing. Clark continued driving but watched Chloe's face from the corner of his eye.

"Hold on, let me get this straight. You get kicked out of the hotel you are staying at, and now you want me to try and talk to someone to let you back in?" Chloe said in a disbelieving tone. Chloe paused for a moment, letting the other person speak before speaking again.

"What do you mean, you lost him? He isn't that hard to lose, hello he stands out in a crowd, bald head" Chloe said not refraining from using the bald head comment. Clark heard those words and his heart rate picked up, he had tried on multiple occasions to contact Lex, but had been fruitless in his quest. Maybe Chloe knew something, and would be willing share.

"Oh this is rich" Chloe said shaking her head, just as Clark pulled up to Ms. Anderson's house. Where the woman in question was standing out in the front yard with a white sundress that hid nothing; Chloe's eyebrows raised as she caught a glance of Ms. Anderson.

"Be right back" Clark mouthed to Chloe before hopping out of the truck and going to the back to get the order. Chloe just watched, fascinated on Ms. Anderson's behavior toward Clark. Chloe could honestly say that the woman in question had the hots for Clark and was doing everything in her power to get Clark to notice her, but if the behavior of Clark was any indication he was not interested. Of course Chloe knew he wasn't interested due to the fact that he had slept with Lex, and had two children by the same man, if that didn't signal gay she didn't know what did. Clark smiled and nodded a few times, before saying his goodbyes and making his way back toward the truck, where Chloe had tuned out her brother and his whining.

"So" Clark said before noticing that Chloe was still on the phone.

"Look Tate, I gotta go. How about you call Scott McBride? Maybe he can help you out" Chloe said before hanging up the phone, not waiting for a response from her brother.

"That your brother?" Clark said as he pulled the truck into traffic and to the next stop on his list.

"Yeah" Chloe said with a sigh. It seemed that whenever her brother called he always brought with him mayhem.

"How go things with him?" Clark said stopping at a red light.

"Well he is in Great Britain right now for the summer, and he has some how gotten kicked out of the hotel that he was staying at. From what I gathered, he broke into his ex-boyfriend's room and decided to berate not only the ex-boyfriend but the guy that he was with at the time. All very messy, but here's a kicker; he had the audacity to tell the guy that was with the ex-boyfriend to get out. Oh and let us not forget the coup de grace of this whole situation, and that would be that he still thinks that they are still together." Chloe said shaking her head before jumping out of the truck with Clark this time to deliver the produce to yet another sexily dressed woman in the front yard.

"You have to be kidding me" Clark said while giving the woman the produce and not really paying much attention to her.

"Nah" Chloe said while eyeing the woman in front of her, while she got angry that Chloe had taken Clark's attention away from her.

"Ms. McDermott" Clark said politely, hoping that the woman wouldn't be mad that Chloe had come along.

"Clark, so good to see you; you just must come into town more often" the woman said as she made her way closer to Clark while giving Chloe the evil eye.

"I try to but it is pretty busy these days" Clark said walking with the woman to her front door so that she won't have to carry the heavy boxes.

"Come on in" she said eyeing Chloe in a way that told Chloe, that if she stepped foot inside the house there would be hell to pay.

"Be right back" Clark said trying to make this visit as short as possible, because whenever he delivered to her she always wanted him to stay as long as possible, which is why he worked the delivery such that she was in the middle and he would have to leave quickly.

"So who's the girl?" Ms. McDermott asked in a tone that tipped Clark off that she was not happy about Chloe being there with him.

"Oh just a friend, she came over while I finished getting the orders ready and she asked if she could come" Clark said putting the produce basket on the table and then standing in the kitchen waiting for a check.

"Here you go" Ms. McDermott said handing over the check and walking with Clark back to the front door.

"Thanks and just call the house if you need anything else" Clark said before waving and making his way to the truck.

"She had the hots for you" Chloe said as Clark got into the truck

"No she doesn't" Clark said not believing a word of what Chloe was saying.

"Yes she does and so did Ms. Anderson" Chloe said laughing at Clark as he turned bright red.

"No they don't" Clark said still not believing Chloe. It was an hour later that found Clark and Chloe making their way into the Kent Farm's driveway.

"So about those raspberries" Chloe said now concerned about the fruit in question.

"Yeah" Clark said distracted for the moment, due to his mother leading him over to where both Zaiden and Arianna lay in a crib crying.

"They just won't stop" Martha said frantically, due to the fact that the babies had not stopped crying since Clark had left.

"It's okay" Clark said picking up Arianna only to have her quiet down immediately.

"You just wanted daddy, didn't you?" Clark said hugging Arianna to his chest. Zaiden still lay in the crib but seemed to have stopped crying.

"How do you do it?" Chloe asked in amazement at the way Clark handled his children. Clark only shrugged his shoulders in response, for he didn't really know the reason.

"Clark" Martha called out from the kitchen a few minutes after the twins had stopped crying.

"Yeah, mom" Clark said walking through to the kitchen with Chloe on his heels.

"I'm going to drop this pie off at Mrs. Abernathy; can you watch the house until I come back?" Martha said loading up the pie for transport.

"Sure no problem" Clark said before heading back toward the living room where the twins slept. Once Martha had pulled out Chloe started again about the raspberries.

"So Clark about those raspberries" Chloe said trying but failing to sound causal about the fruit in question.

"Chloe what is it about you and these raspberries?" Clark said eyeing Chloe as she shifted foot-to-foot.

"Well you see" Chloe started out only to be stopped by the ringing of her cell phone.

"Hello?" Chloe said before her face became a stony mask.

"What do *you* want?" Chloe said before looking over to where Clark was with the children.

"No Lex I don't want to talk to you" Chloe whispered into the phone so that Clark wouldn't hear Lex's name.

"You want to know why?" Chloe said in disbelief. Chloe was silent for a spell before she started speaking again.

"Are you drunk, because you aren't making a lot of sense here" Chloe stated before glancing over in Clark's direction again.

"Lex just call me when you are sober" Chloe said before ending the conversation and then turning off her phone, because she knew that Lex would call back and she didn't want to deal with him while in the presence of Clark.

"Everything okay?" Clark asked standing in front of the changing table that was set up in the corner next to the crib.

"Could be better if I had some raspberries" Chloe said still trying to get some of the fruit.

"Ah" Clark said before putting the onesie back on Zaiden.

"So" Chloe said sounding way too hopeful about the raspberries.

"Come on" Clark said before grabbing the baby carriers that Martha had bought for when he needed to take the babies out and he didn't feel like putting them into a baby seat. Once Clark loaded both babies he made his way over to the back door and then out to the greenhouse, to see if there were anymore raspberries to be had for Chloe. It seemed as if she was in luck, and when she heard the good news from Clark she about squished Arianna in the hug she gave Clark.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" Chloe thanked Clark profusely, while jamming raspberries into her mouth and she spoke.

"Any time" Clark said wrinkling his nose at the way Chloe was chowing down on the raspberries.

"These are the best raspberries I have ever had" Chloe commented to no one in particular, as she made her way back to the house with Clark following in her wake.

"They're organic" Clark answered as to why they tasted so different than the regular raspberries that you could buy at the store.

"Ah" Chloe said standing by her car now, with red finger tips.

"Had your fill and then you dash? I think you are using me as your raspberry pimp." Clark said laughing at what Chloe looked like. She looked like a fat kid that had way too much cake and it managed to get all over their face, Chloe had red splotches on her face and hands.

"Sure did" Chloe said smug about getting some free raspberries out of Clark. She had heard in town that Clark had the best produce to come out of Smallville in a long time, and he did especially well with fruits.

"Okay" Clark said confused at Chloe's smug look.

"I'll talk to you later" Chloe said before jumping into her Scion tC and making her way back into town.

"I worry about her" Clark said to the two babies that were strapped to him. The only reply he got from them was a gurgle from Zaiden on his back.

"My thoughts exactly" Clark said as he climbed back into the house and un-strapped the babies. It was a few minutes later that Martha came whirling in.

"Well I never" Martha said distain in her words.

"Mom" Clark said looking over to Martha from his spot on the floor where the babies had taken up root and were kicking there legs in the air.

"Clark, do you know that Mrs. Abernathy had the gall to tell me that it was totally unnecessary for me to drop off the pie to her?" Martha said wrinkling her nose at the next words that were going to come out of her mouth.

"What do you mean?" Clark asked confused while he still played with the babies.

"She told me that you delivering the pie would have been enough"

"Enough!" Martha shouted making the babies stop what they were doing.

"Mom" Clark said giving his mother a look that promised pain if they started crying.

"Clark that woman, that *old* woman has the hots for you" Martha said eyeing her son, to see if maybe she was missing something.

"Second time today" Clark mumbled, but Martha caught it.

"What do you mean, second time today?"

"Well Chloe seemed to think that Mrs. Anderson and Ms. McDermott and half of the woman population of Smallville have the "hots" for me." Clark said shaking his head and then tickling both Zaiden and Arianna and then heard baby gurgles to signal laughter. Martha watched her son for a moment and had to wonder how on earth the McBride's couldn't see what a gem Clark was.

"Well, I am of the mind set now that Chloe may not be off the mark on that." Martha said before being interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Kent Farms, Martha speaking" Martha said in a pleasant voice, only to get a confused look on her face the next moment. Clark heard the long pause and turned toward where his mother was standing with a phone attached to her ear.

"You would like to speak to who?" Martha said again, just to make sure that she had not heard wrong. The voice on the other end repeated the name and Martha then looked at Clark.

"Uh, sure" Martha said walking with the cordless phone over to Clark.

"For you" Martha said before mouthing, 'be careful' to Clark. Clark just nodded his head and then took the phone.

"Hello" Clark said curious to know what was going on.

"Clark my man" a male voice said over the line, Clark felt like he had been punched in gut.

"Kal?" Clark said stunned at the voice that was speaking to him.

"Clark, what are you doing in Smallville, Kansas?" Kal said with humor in his voice.

"How did you find out?" Clark asked still stunned that one of the few people that he had kept in contact before he was deemed not worthy of being a McBride had found him.

"Well a friend of mine had a run in with someone who shall we say had some amorous affair with you." Kal said before laughing a bit at the image of Clark and Lex in bed. After a moment though, he had to admit it was sort of hot, if he were gay. Clark blushed at the mention of his one time with Lex, but then perked up due to the fact that someone had been in contact with Lex.

"Ah yeah" Clark said at a loss as to what to say.

"So duuuude, Alexander Luthor?" Kal said drawing out the dude, as he was known to do.

"Yeah" Clark said not sure if he should give Kal an explanation as to what was going on.

"Details!" Kal burst out with. Clark had to laugh at the way that Kal was acting, it was the same as it was when he was in the 4H with Clark.

"Uh, well not much to tell" Clark said claming up at the idea of telling someone about his children, and then being told that he was a freak as his ex-family had done.

"Duuude, you are so lying" Kal said getting his emotions under control, he had thought of Clark as the little brother that he never had and he was a bit concerned on what was going on.

"Okay, so maybe I am" Clark said laughing at the ease at which they fell back into their roles from before.

"So spill" Kal said sounding caring in his regards to Clark.

"Promise not to get mad?" Clark asked worriedly as he looked down to his now sleeping children. He didn't know if he would be able to take Kal thinking of him as a freak.

"You know I won't, little brother" Kal said using the nickname that he called Clark before he left for Great Britain, and the world renowned agriculture programme that they had.

"Okay, promise not to cut in?" Clark said stalling for time, so that he could make up his mind on what to tell Kal.

"You know it" Kal said wondering if Clark would ever trust again because of what had happened with the McBride's. He may have not known all the details, but from what he understood now, Clark had been kicked out of the family either due to his liaisons with Alexander Luthor, or due to Scott McBride, Jr. finding out and then having his parents jumping on board. He wondered for a moment, if maybe his family could adopt the teen. He had always wanted a little brother and his parents were in love with Clark from the moment they saw him, with his soft spoken manners and shy demeanor.

"Okay, well as you already know I, uh, you know with Alexander Luthor." Clark started out, at the mention of Alexander Luthor, Martha swiveled her head and had to wonder if this was going to bite Clark in the butt in the end. She of course would do battle with anyone that hurt her baby and her grandchildren, but she first had to see how it would play out.

"Dude" Kal said amazed, it was one thing to hear it from Camdien but to hear it from one of the sources was another thing.

"Yeah" Clark said laughing; he was still amazed to this day about his dealing with Lex.

"Come on, you're killing me" Kal said wanting to know what else had happened in the short time that he had been gone from Metropolis for his second year at college.

"Okay, okay" Clark said getting serious now that he had come to the major part of the story. Martha walked over and tapped Clark on the shoulder; she wanted to make sure her son was doing the right thing.

'You sure' she mouthed to him. Clark nodded his head in approval that this was the right thing to do. Martha nodded her head and went in the kitchen to start making dinner.

"Clark?" Kal asked worried that Clark had hung up the phone.

"I'm here, just thinking" Clark said serious. Kal knew then that what he was about to be told would not be pretty.

"Go ahead when you are ready, this call is sooooo on the 'rents dime" Kal said making sure that Clark had all the time in the world.

"Still over there?" Clark asked semi-stunned by the news.

"Yeah got a job at one of the farms and I couldn't pass up the experience." Kal said realizing that he hadn't spoken to Clark in months it seemed.

"Neat" Clark said smiling at the thought of Kal running around with his chickens following.

"Yeah I thought so" Kal said somberly at the idea of Clark dealing with a major family issue with no help from his "big brother".

"Kal don't worry about it, 'cause I know what you are thinking" Clark said stopping Kal from thinking that he had been not only a bad friend but a bad brother.

"Okay" Kal said happy that Clark wasn't too mad at him. He would get the riot act later from Clark, but right now he wanted to know that his little brother was in good hands.

"Well, it started about thirteen months ago" Clark said calculating the time since his pregnancy and the months after his children's birth.

"Okay" Kal said listening to what Clark was saying. 

"Well….it started out with me being nauseous all the time and throwing up, I just thought I had a stomach bug" Clark said taking a deep breath for the next bit of the story.

"I am assuming it wasn't" Kal said wondering what was going on.

"Not even on the radar to what it was" Clark said before continuing.

"Well the McBride's decided that they were tired of me being sick, so they sent me to Dr. Kent." Clark smiled at the thought of the Doctors Kent.

"Great guy" Kal said interrupting even though he had promised not to.

"That they are" Clark said, laughing at Kal's interruptions.

"So I had a work up, and well after a couple of visits it was pinned down what was wrong" Clark wondering if Kal would be amazed by what happened.

"Well?" Kal said in suspense, he didn't hear everyday stuff about Clark.

"Well yeah, I was pregnant" Clark said and then stopped to see if Kal would explode. He didn't have to wait long for that.

"Pregnant!" Kal yelled so that even Martha in the kitchen heard. She came quickly out to see if Clark was okay.

"Yeah, I have a rare syndrome called Olanwsky's; that allows males to become pregnant." Clark said blushing at the information.

"You didn't use protection!" Kal then yelled angry at Clark for having sex with someone and not using protection.

"Well…." Clark said trailing off, not sure why they hadn't use protection, because there were rolls of condoms sitting on the side table.

"We will talk about that later Clark, now continue" Kal said fuming at Clark.

"Well by then I had to tell the McBride's, well none of them were happy about it and Jessica and Scott, Sr. decided to emancipate me." Clark said looking over to Martha for support. She hadn't heard all the gory details, but he wanted to be sure that she still cared; the look on her face was one of a mother ready to do battle. Clark grinned at her to show that he was okay, for now.

"You have to be kidding me, I mean I always thought that they were crap parents but to do that to you and you still only fifteen is totally unacceptable" Kal said ready to get on the next plane home and see Clark.

"Well a bit later I found out that I was having twins, a boy and a girl" Clark said proudly looking over his two children.

"Wow" Kal said amazed at the information, he was now an uncle and he didn't even know.

"Just what I said" Clark said smiling even bigger at the lack of hatred from Kal.

"So, those two got names?" Kal asked interested.

"Sure do, Arianna Maelle Kent and Zaiden Nicholas Kent" Clark said proud as can be.

"So why Kent?" Kal asked interested to hear that story.

"Well, I was told that I had to change my name, due to me sullying the McBride name, so since Dr. Kent was so nice I changed it to Kent. Well just as a bit of an aside, there are two Dr. Kents and the other lives in Smallville. Well things have a way of working out, and I am now a Kent with a Kent family." Clark stated before beaming a grin to his mother.

"Well I'll be" Kal said before slumping in the chair that he was in.

"Yeah, and well I made a friend, named Chloe Sullivan too" Clark said wondering if Kal might have known Chloe.

"Sullivan? Wasn't Tate seeing Alexander?" Kal said and when Clark heard the words he could breathe for a moment.

"They were going out?" Clark asked just trying to make the pain his chest go away.

"Last I had heard, but I haven't been around to get all the details"

"Well Chloe states very emphatically, I might add, that Tate and his boyfriend are broken up. Tate seems to think that they are still together and she just got a call today from Tate saying that he got kicked out of the hotel he was staying at because he broke into the ex-boyfriend's room and found him with someone." Clark stated the pain in his chest increasing due to the fact that it seemed as if Lex had moved on.

"No worries big guy" Kal said due to knowing the whole story now, he would make plans to visit one Alexander Luthor, but he would make darn sure that he protected Clark in the process.

"Kal" Clark stated broken just from the news that he had now figured out.

"I'm on the next flight, don't you dare go anywhere" Kal said before hanging up the phone and then making flight arrangements for the next flight that would get him back to his little brother. He was needed and no job would keep him here.

"No need" Clark said to the dial tone, and he knew it was a waste of breath but he still said it.

"Clark" Martha asked worried.

"I'm okay, just found something out that I had sort of suspected but now know as truth."

"What?"

"Tate Sullivan was going out with Lex at one point in time, and now the latest news is that Lex was with someone else in Great Britain and Tate found out and was not happy." Clark said looking at his mom with tears in his eyes.

"Oh Clark" Martha said coming over and hugging her son from the back due to him still sitting in front of the babies.

"I guess I had a hope that one day we would all be a family" Clark said now crying openly and wondering if he should have told Kal anything.

"I know dear, I know" Martha said soothing her son, she had seen the spark of hope in Clark's eye every now and again at the hope that Lex would come for him but it never happened.

"Mom" Clark said snuffing and then looking down at his children.

"Clark listen to me, you have your children, and your family. Don't worry about what Lex is doing; maybe he is doing it for a reason." Martha said holding out hope that she was right.

"You think?" Clark said with a cautious hope.

"You never know" Martha said pulling back from her embrace and looking at Clark to see that he had stopped crying.

"Okay" Clark said pulling himself together.

"I have a dinner to finish, how about you get these two cleaned up and meet me back in the kitchen?" Martha said standing and waiting for a response from Clark.

"Sure thing" Clark said looking over his children and seeing that something amazing had come from their short time together and he wouldn't change it for the world.


	11. Act XI:  Kal's Chicken

_Act XI: Kal's Chicken_

It was two days later that Clark heard the gravel in the drive being crunched by a car.

"Dude, you here?" Clark heard as he made his way out to the drive. Once Clark heard the word 'dude' from the person's mouth and he knew that Kal Rydell had arrived in his entire California surfer speak.

"Kal" Clark called out as he arrived on the front porch of the house.

"Clark, my man" Kal said spinning around and for the first time in over year seeing Clark's face.

"Hey Kal" Clark said before noticing that Kal had the car he had was packed with stuff.

"So little bro, where are my niece and nephew?" Kal said not seeing the babies.

"Mom is with them" Clark said as he made his way over to the front door of the house.

"And this mother got a name since I know it isn't Jessica McBride." Kal said looking around the area as they walked.

"Martha Kent" Clark said as he entered the house with a very reluctant Kal.

"All that land" Kal said in a dreamy voice.

"I know, and it is mine so don't go messin' with it." Clark said and then heard the wail of Arianna.

"Daddy is here, did you miss me?" Clark said picking Arianna up and then rocking her for a minute before Clark then picked up Zaiden for rocking too. Kal stood amazed at how Clark was handling his children.

"Clark" Martha said once she noticed Kal standing in her living room.

"Wha" Clark said before looking at his mom, and noticing that she was eyeing Kal.

"Mom this is Kal Rydell, I knew him from when I was a McBride, and he is like the older brother that I had always wanted." Clark said before getting choked up.

"Clark" both Martha and Kal said at the same time.

"I'm okay, just give me a minute" Clark said looking down at Arianna in his arms, due to him setting Zaiden down moments before; she looked so much like Lex, with those intense steel-blue eyes that always seemed to be taking in the world around and assessing it's worth, that was why it was hard to get over Lex with an everyday reminder of Lex here in his arms.

"He is okay, right?" Kal whispered to Martha, so that Clark couldn't hear what he said.

"He gets like that sometimes" Martha said sadly, her son was hurt and there was nothing that she could do to help him.

"Right" Kal said before walking over to Clark and speaking.

"So are you going to introduce me to my niece and nephew or am I going to have to do it myself?" Kal said looking at the baby in his arms and only seeing flaming red hair.

"This is Arianna Maelle Kent" Clark said pulling Arianna away from him just a bit so that Kal could see her.

"She is beautiful Clark, that hair though. Where in the world did she get red hair from?" Kal said waiting for the answer, none of the McBride's had red hair in their family so he wondered if it was from Lex's side.

"Uh, Lex has red hair just like this, I think" Clark said blushing at the admission he had just gave.

"How do you know that?" Kal asked truly confused on how Lex could have red hair.

"Kal" Clark said blushing even deeper.

"Clark" Kal said looking Clark in the eye and then noticing the blush on his face.

"Ooooooh, I got it" Kal said after he figured out that just because Lex had a bald head didn't mean that he's hairless everywhere and that Clark had gotten a peek but was still uncertain on the color.

"Yeah" Clark said before laughing and putting Arianna down for a quick nap, due to her falling asleep in Clark's arms. Zaiden of course is now wide away though. Clark picked him up and cuddled him for a minute or two before introducing Kal to them.

"And this is Zaiden Nicholas Kent" Clark said doing the same thing he did with Arianna.

"He is simply gorgeous" Kal said looking at Zaiden and realizing that each child took after one of their fathers in facial features.

"That he is" Clark said agreeing and then putting him back down as well.

"Mom" Clark said looking around the room for his mother. He didn't find her in the room, which must mean that she was in the kitchen. Clark made his way to the hallway and called again.

"Mom"

"Yes dear, just a moment" Martha said from down the hall and in the kitchen.

"'K" Clark said waiting in the hallway, but watching his children as well.

"What do you need dear?" Martha said wiping her hands on the dish towel she was using.

"I wanted to show Kal around the farm, can you watch…." Clark didn't have to speak any longer, because Martha cut him off.

"Oh I get to watch my grandbabies, now what can I spoil then with?" Martha said walking into the living room and over toward where the twins were asleep.

"Well aren't you going to go?" Martha said looking at Clark and Kal.

"We're on our way now." Clark said dragging Kal out to the barn.

"Duuuuude, she rocks" Kal said loving Mrs. Kent already. This would be good for Clark, he could see that now.

"So where do you want to start? We got lots of acreage to cover."

"How many we talking here? Ten or twenty?" Kal said looking around at the farm, before he sighed at the potential the farm had.

"Oh no, we are talking one hundred thirty five acres and more is coming" Clark said proud of the fact that one of the land holders was getting out of the farming business, and wanted to sell his land quick. Clark was quick to jump on the opportunity, and once the deal was done there would be another fifty to add to that total.

"How much more" Kal said really, really amazed at all this land and only a small portion of it was in use.

"Oh, fifty more" Clark said casually as he got the cart out to take Kal on the tour.

"Fifty! On top of the one thirty five?" Kal said as he got in the cart and made himself comfortable.

"Yeah" Clark said as he drove the cart over to the far end of the land.

"Dude that is soooo not fair" Kal said envious of Clark's land.

"Hey, it isn't like I was here to grow up with it. I plan to take full advantage of it once I go to college" Clark said looking around at the land.

"Yeah about that, how is school going with this whole you giving birth thing?" Kal said interested to hear what Clark going to say.

"Well, for now I was lucky in that Smallville is small enough that the high school was flexible with me distance learning, so I do that and mom turns in my work when she goes into town." Clark said explaining the way that his distance learning was worked.

"Sweet" Kal said before pointing to the cabins in the distance.

"What's that?"

"That, my friend, is my mom's pride and joy" Clark said driving over toward the cabin in question.

"Why's that?" Kal asked confusion on why Martha Kent would be excited about a crusty old cabin.

"Oh mom runs a Bed and Breakfast type business. Due to the fact that there is a lot of land, and some of the land already had existing houses on them; she just converts the house into a functioning house for guests to stay in. They have the choice of whether or not they want to eat in the house with us, or just go to the store and cook their food. It is really great; mom' loves what she does so that is all that matters." Clark said getting closer to the cabin in question.

"So what is the deal with this one?" Kal said eyeing it, due to the fact that the windows were boarded up and it looked to sort of be in disrepair.

"That one there is mine" Clark said proud as can be that he would soon have a house for this family.

"This is yours?" Kal asked scandalized by the look of the cabin.

"Yeah, I haven't had time to work on it and since this is the land that we just bought that is why the house is the way that it is." Clark said shrugging his shoulders and getting out of the cart so that he could show Kal around.

"Gotcha" Kal said following Clark to the front porch of the house.

"So here it is" Clark said opening the door and showing Kal that the outside was not the best thing to base your approval on the house on.

"Nice" Kal said walking around the house and seeing that it seemed to sort of be in process, but the room layout was something that most home owners today would love.

"I thought so, and mom didn't want me to take the kids too far away because she then "couldn't steal her grandchildren away in the night" due to the distance from the main house." Clark said as they made their way back out.

"I can live with that, so when do you plan to move in?"

"Well, I had hoped before the twin's first birthday but we shall see."

"Well, I am here to help" Kal said making a split minute decision.

"Kal" Clark said with awe in his voice, he had figured that once Kal saw what was going on that he would turn tail and run.

"Don't even try" Kal said before jumping into the cart and eyeing Clark, waiting for him to get into the cart. Clark made his way over to the cart and then drove back toward the house, both sat in silence on the ride back. Kal deciding on if he wanted to go back to England to finish his degree or transfer back home and be around so that he could see his niece and nephew grow up. They reached the house at the same time that Martha had come out to call for Clark.

"Hey mom" Clark said before ducking inside to see his kids. Martha eyed Kal for a minute before following Clark inside. Kal stood next to her and watched as Clark changed and played with the babies.

"They are his life, aren't they?" Kal whispered to Martha.

"That they are" Martha said with a small smile on her face at what Clark was doing, once Martha saw that Clark was going to be while with the babies, she dragged Kal into the kitchen for fifty questions.

"Kal" Martha started out, only to be cut off by Kal.

"Mrs. Kent, you don't have to worry about me telling the McBride's or even Lex Luthor. I want Clark to do that on his own and when he is ready." Kal said sitting at the kitchen table.

"Call me Martha, and I'm glad you understand that this is something that must be kept secret. I plan to do everything in my power to keep Clark and his children safe, but sometimes it just isn't enough." Martha said before going to stand in front of the kitchen sink.

"Just know that Clark's life is safe with me" Kal said before walking back out to where Clark was still playing with his two children. Martha spoke to an empty room.

"Sometimes that isn't enough, but I hope it is." Martha then began to peel the carrots that were sitting in the sink fresh of the dirt that Clark had grown them in. In the living room Kal had just sat down on the couch and watched Clark with the babies.

"So what's it like?" Kal asked after a moment of silence.

"Having kids?" Clark said looking up to Kal.

"Yeah"

"The most amazing thing ever, I never thought that something so little could be so precious and then to have delivered them myself was even bigger than them in some ways." Clark said putting Arianna in the crib and then walking over to the couch with Zaiden in his arms.

"Wanna hold him?"

"I don't think that is such a good idea" Kal said putting his hands up in the air.

"He won't bite, well not much and he has no teeth so just try." Clark said as he placed Zaiden into Kal's arms and then showed him how the hold the baby by supporting its neck. It was about a half an hour later that Martha came into the living room to tell Kal and Clark that dinner was ready, she about wanted to cry and the picture that Kal, Clark and baby Zaiden presented.

"Dinner" Martha said from the doorway before making her way back into the kitchen where Jonathan sat waiting for Clark to come in. Clark made his way into the room followed by Kal who was holding Zaiden and Clark was holding Arianna. Dinner was served and eaten in short order and then they all went back to the living room to watch TV before going to bed.

One month later found Kal working on top of the roof of Clark's new home.

"Are you sure about this?" Kal asked one more time before coming back down off of the roof.

"Positive" Clark said watching Kal as he made his way down to the ground.

"I think I should stay" Kal said again for the second time in as many minutes.

"No, I think you need to go back and finish what you started. I'm not going anywhere you can count on that." Clark said trying to make Kal understand that staying wasn't going to do any good.

"Are you sure?" Kal asked as he looked into Clark's eyes for the first time.

"Yeah" Clark said showing Kal that he would be fine.

"Okay" Kal said before they got into the cart and made their way back to the main house. Once they arrived it was to see Martha standing in the kitchen talking on the phone to someone that she made faces about.

"Yes, Mrs. Roberts; Clark will be by later with the delivery." There was a pause before Martha spoke again and then made a motion with her hand for Clark to come over.

"Mrs. Roberts" Martha said before handing the phone over to Clark.

"Hello Mrs. Roberts" Clark said into the phone and then listened as the woman went on for ten minutes about something that Clark had no idea what it was. After the woman had been assured that Clark would be by today, Clark was able to get off the phone.

"Duuuuuude" Kal said with a smirk on his face. He still couldn't get over the fact that all the women in the town seemed to want Clark.

"Don't even say it" Clark said as he walked passed Kal and into the living room where Zaiden and Arianna were sleeping in the playpen that Clark and Kal had set up.

"Come on" Kal whined to Clark as he took Zaiden out of the crib and changed him.

"Kal, no!" Clark said to Kal like he was one of Clark's children. Kal pouted and then began to laugh at Clark's behavior, Clark was happy as long as Kal didn't start singing "Hey Mrs. Roberts" again like the last time, A short time later Clark made his way out for deliveries that needed to made. Kal tagged along and they were stopped by every woman that Clark delivered to. As they made their way back to the house, Clark noticed that Chloe's car was in the drive. Clark didn't even need to get near the house before he heard Chloe's calling out his name.

"Clark Kent!" Chloe said storming out of the house and down the stairs. Clark watched the whirlwind that was Chloe approach him.

"Duuuude, did you do something?" Kal whispered to Clark, he had met her only a couple of times but knew better than to cross her. Clark shook his head no and then watched Chloe's final approach.

"Clark Kent, what do you think you are doing?" Chloe said as she got right into Clark's face.

"Uh, delivering produce?" Clark said looking at Kal to see if he might know what was going on.

"I can't believe you!" Chloe screeched before grabbing a large envelope from her purse and waved the envelope at Clark.

"Chloe what is going on?" Clark said trying to grab the envelope with no luck.

"Here" Chloe said finally throwing the envelope to Clark, when he opened it he was met with his face and both of his children's face.

"What's this?" Clark said getting nervous that the McBride's or someone had found him.

"I found them at Joe's while his wife was off taking orders" Chloe said grabbing the pictures and showing Clark what the women of Smallville were up to.

"I heard Josey, Frank's wife and Linda Jenkins talking about making a calendar of you." Chloe said with a smirk on her face, this was just too good to pass up not making fun of Clark.

"What!" Clark yelled before grabbing the pictures and stomping into the house.

"Mom!" Clark called and was met with Martha's smile as she came into the room, her smiled changed to a frown when she saw the look on Clark's face.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"They are making a calendar of me. A calendar!" Clark said giving his mother the pictures that Chloe had gotten.

"Oh" Martha said looking over some of the pictures and seeing that most of the pictures where when Clark was out for deliveries.

"Can we do something?" Clark asked his mom.

"Dunno, I would think they would need to ask permission to use your photo, but I really couldn't tell you." Martha said thinking that maybe Clark could get a cut of the profit since he was the subject of the calendar.

"What'cha thinking Mrs. Kent?" Kal said seeing the gleam in Martha's eyes.

"Well, I was thinking that maybe Clark should get a cut of their profit. I mean it is you that the calendar is about." Martha said looking at Chloe, Kal and Clark.

"You think?" Chloe said bouncing at the idea.

"Sure, I think we need to talk to someone though" Martha said eyeing Chloe to see if she knew any more information.

"I'm on it" Chloe said before grabbing the photos and running out the door.

"She is always like that?" Kal asked before making his way upstairs to take a shower.

"You think that is a good idea?" Clark said wondering why his mother thought this was a good idea.

"Sure, we just need to make sure that they understand that you get a cut if they want to use you." Martha said before going over to the stove to check on lunch. A few minutes later Kal came down looking better than before.

"So" Clark said looking at Kal to see if he would listen to Clark now about going back to England.

"Yeah" Kal said flopping down on the couch.

"I think you need to go back, it will be good for you." Clark said trying but failing to look happy with the idea. Kal looked at Clark and knew that Clark needed some time to himself for the next while.

"Fine, but dude I am so coming back for the twin's birthday" Kal said crossing his arms over his chest. Clark had to concede the point.

"That is fine" once Clark had said those words, Kal jumped up and did a little dance.

"You rock" Kal said before starting to pack his stuff back up.

"Are you leaving now?" Clark asked shocked that Kal would move so fast.

"No, but I have a lot of stuff to pack, and I need to be back there in the next week so I gotta go soon." Kal said already thinking of the things that needed to be done before he left. Once that list was done, he then remember that Lex Luthor was still in Europe as far as he knew and Kal thought it would be a great time to give him a visit. Two days later Kal drove out of the Kent Farms and off to Metropolis to get on his plane back to England, oh he couldn't wait until he saw Lex Luthor and gave him a piece of his mind. Eight hours after that found Kal standing in Heathrow Airport with his bags in hand.

"Kal" a male voice called out. Kal turned and saw Camdien standing there waving his arms around.

"Camdien" Kal said as he walked up to Camdien it was then that he noticed someone with Camdien.

"Hello" Kal said eyeing the bald headed man.

"Hello" the man said back, it was then that it clicked for Kal. This was Lex Luthor and in all his glory from what Kal could tell.

"Kal Rydell" Kal said sticking his hand out for Lex to shake.

"Lex Luthor" Lex said while taking the hand and shaking it, Kal eyed the man in front of him for a moment before deciding that having a row with Camdien present wasn't the best of ideas.

"Nice to meet you" Kal said before leading Camdien and Lex down to the baggage claim area.

"So how was it?" Camdien asked Kal, while his eyes followed Lex around as he spoke on his cell phone.

"Great" Kal said before tapping Camdien on the shoulder.

"Uh" Camdien said before blushing at being caught watching Lex.

"You got it pretty bad" Kal said feeling a bit bad for Clark and the twins. They deserved so much more than what they were getting, but it seemed as if only a few cared enough to change things.

"Yeah" Camdien said with a silly smile on his face.

"I thought you said you wouldn't speak to him again because of the whole name calling thing" Kal said trying to judge on if it would even be worth yelling at Lex if he had moved on.

"Yeah well, we are still having some issues with that but I know he cares about me"

"If you say so" Kal said grabbing the last bag from the carousel and then proceeding to walk out of the airport with Camdien and a cell phone talking Lex. Once they arrived to a car park, Lex took the lead and led them over to a Mercedes Benz, G55 AMG Grand Edition in black. Lex unlocked the car and then proceeded to talk on the phone for a few more minutes before he hung up. Kal sat in the back and watched as Camdien made a fool out of himself for Lex. From what Kal could tell, this seemed to be a one way relationship and Camdien was just blinded by the Luthor name. When they arrived back to the dorms Kal made a quick exit before Camdien got all mushy with Lex, when Camdien came back in he had a frown on his face.

"What's up?" Kal asked from the closet where he was putting the clean clothes that Martha had washed for him.

"Lex dumped me" Camdien said dazed.

"Oh" Kal said looking at Camdien and wondering what he was thinking.

"He said a relationship would be too much right now" Camdien continued.

"I thought we had something"

"I guess not" Kal murmured under his breath as he watched Camdien as he all of a sudden weird out on him.

"It's that damn Clark, who the hell is he and why did he get to Lex first?" Camdien asked the room not wanting a response. Kal shook his head and decided that maybe Lex was still looking for Clark.

"Bloody hell!" Camdien said before slamming the door behind him as he made his way to who knew where. Once Kal had finished unpacking he decided to pay a visit to Lex, if he could find him. He didn't have to look far because it seemed that Lex was fencing in the gym. Once Lex was done, Kal made his way over to him.

"Luthor" Kal called out trying to get Lex's attention without too much hassle.

"Yes" Lex said turning and coming face-to-face with Kal.

"Camdien's friend right?" Lex said before wiping his forehead with the towel in his hands.

"Yeah" Kal said while getting ready to speak to Lex about Clark. He had promised not to say anything, but Clark so needed Lex by his side sometime in the near future.

"What can I do for you?" Lex said looking Kal over and wondering what a man like this was doing in the farming world.

"Oh, I just wanted to know was there a reason that you broke up with Camdien?" Kal said deciding at the last minute not to say anything about Clark.

"I don't think that is any of your concern" Lex said glaring at Kal.

"I know it isn't, but I was just curious" Kal said before making his way from the gym. Lex had not been receptive, and Kal wasn't going to press about it. He would just keep his mouth shut and see what Lex would do.

Two weeks later found Kal at the front desk of the dorms, getting a package from home. As he read the print on the outside, he about peed his pants.

"What you got there?" Camdien said coming up behind Kal and looking over his shoulder.

"Oh something from home" Kal said grinning at the thought of what was in the package.

"So are you going to open it?" Camdien said now sort of bouncing around the foyer of the dorm.

"Don't you have to meet Lex in like five minutes?" Kal said trying to get Camdien away from him. The look on Camdien's face told him that he had in fact forgotten about meeting with Lex.

"Ah bloody hell" Camdien said as he ran out of the foyer and into the warm English summer.

"Guess you forgot" Kal said to the Camdien free area, before making his way up to the room to open his package in peace. Once there Kal ripped off all the brown paper he saw the USPS large letter envelope lying closed.

"Chloe you are a doll if you got me what I think you did" Kal murmured as he opened the envelope. There inside was the calendar of Clark, with a note taped to it.

_Kal,_

_As you can see that calendar idea was just too good to pass up. I thought I would send a copy along so that you could share Clark's looks with those English over there, 'cause I know they love it here. Clark didn't want any corny names for the title of the calendar, so it is just something that I thought up._

_Enjoy, 'cause I know I did!_

_Chloe_

Kal burst out laughing at Chloe's words before opening the calendar to see standing by the side of the barn with a crate of produce in his hands and no shirt on, was Clark. Kal just shook his head and placed the calendar down on his bed before running out to go to work at the farm. Kal would find out later, that hiding the calendar would have been in his best interest. A few hours later Camdien and Lex walked into the room.

"I don't see why I need to be here" Lex said one more time to Camdien. Since the break up, Camdien had been persistent on getting him back. He didn't need to worry too much about Tate since the whole kicking him out of the hotel situation but he wondered why he was even with Camdien most of the time, since all Camdien seemed to think about was what party they could go to next and flaunt the Luthor name and money. Lex made to sit on Kal's bed when he noticed a calendar lying face down on his bed. Camdien was over near his bed mumbling about some thing, so Lex grabbed the calendar and turned it over. What he saw about made him want to dance for joy, for there on the cover of the calendar was Clark with a flannel shirt unbuttoned and a pair of faded jeans.

The title of the calendar, 'Boys and Their Produce', gave no indication on where the pictures where taken, but Lex was betting all his money, which was quite a bit by himself, that it was somewhere in Kansas. Lex was brought out of his thoughts by Camdien calling him.

"Lex you ready to go?" Camdien said now in a different outfit that looked like club attire.

"Is what's his name, your roommate?" Lex asked hoping that he would get a bit further with Camdien's friend than with Camdien.

"Kal?" Camdien asked his face taking on a stony look.

"Yes, what's his last name?" Lex said getting excited at the idea of maybe being able to find Clark after one long year of searching.

"Rydell" Camdien said before walking over to Lex and grabbing the calendar out of hand and then dragging him out of the room. Lex knew he would make Camdien pay, but later once he found out what he was looking for. A few hours later had Kal trudging in and fall right on top of his bed; calendar, clothes and all. As soon as Kal had just fallen asleep Camdien came in with a slam of the door that woke Kal up.

"Cam" Kal called out to the darkened room.

"Yeah" Camdien said before throwing things in a fit.

"What's the deal?" Kal asked still not all completely there.

"Lex once again decided not to get back with me, after he asked about of all people, you…." Camdien said trailing off at the end seeing if Kal would shed any light on the subject, since Lex didn't seem to want to.

"Whatever" Kal said getting off the bed and noticing that the calendar was not the way that he left it before he left.

"Was Lex by any chance up here?" Kal said with a worried look that Camdien took as him worried about Lex.

"And if he was?" Camdien said getting on the defensive.

"Just wondering cause I left this one way and now it is another" Kal said waving the calendar around a bit so that Camdien couldn't see what it was about.

"Yeah Lex was looking at it" Camdien said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Shiitake Mushrooms!" Kal said running out of the room and down to the phone box in the foyer of the dorm.

"Kal" Camdien called out following Kal as he made his way downstairs with the calendar in hand. Once Camdien made it down, it was to see that Kal was already on the phone gesturing wildly and nodding his head. Camdien did not take this a good thing, so as soon as Kal got out of the phone box Camdien jumped him for answers.

"What in bloody hell is going on?" Camdien said his thick British cockney accent that he tried to hide coming through, while he shook Kal.

"Dude!" Kal said making several people that were lazing about in the main common room off the foyer turn and look.

"Tell me" Camdien said shaking even harder now.

"A friend gave me this calendar and well I don't think Lex was supposed to see it" Kal said waving the calendar around before jerking out of Camdien's grasp and stomping back up to their room, he was soooooo going to ask for a transfer come morning.

"Kal!" Camdien said following Kal back to room.

"Don't even say it" Kal said fed up with Camdien's temper tantrums about Lex.

"Kal" Camdien whined now.

"No" Kal said as he got back into bed with the calendar safely at his side so Camdien couldn't get to it and see that it was a male calendar. The next morning Kal woke up to see Camdien sitting on his bed with his arms crossed and pouting at Kal.

"That shit may work on Lex, but it sure as hell ain't going to work on me. I don't swing that way" Kal said stretching a bit while watching Camdien's face change from a pout to a normal looking face.

"I'm sorry about last night" Camdien started only to be stopped by Kal.

"Don't even try to apologize I saw your face, you thought I was seeing Lex or something like that" Kal said sitting on the bed with the calendar under the covers.

"I was just running a bit hot due to what Lex had done to me. He tells me that maybe we can work something out and then he comes here sees whatever it is and then is like "I changed my mind" what is there to change your mind about?" Camdien said getting angry again.

"You don't know, so you shouldn't have taken it out on me" Kal said grabbing some clothes to change into.

"What are you going to do, leave?" Camdien said with a superior tone in his voice.

"As a matter of fact, I am" Kal said slamming the door behind him only to have it opened by Camdien.

"Please, I'm sorry" Camdien said running behind Kal as he walked toward the RA on the floor to ask for a room change.

"Camdien, you have done this to me before and I am tired of it" Kal said knocking on the door and waiting for an answer.

"Yes" a male voice said looking at the two standing in front of him.

"What do I need to do to get a room change?" Kal said frustrated that Camdien was not leaving.

"Do you have cause for the change?" the man said arms crossed over his bare chest.

"Yeah"

"No he doesn't" Camdien said pulling Kal away with a "sorry" to the RA.

"What the hell?" Kal yelled gaining the attention of the people on the floor.

"Look I'm sorry, I promise not to do it again."

"You said that before" Kal said staring at Camdien.

"Take your lovers' fight to your room" one of the guys on the floor yelled. Most nodded their heads in agreement.

"Come on" Camdien said dragging Kal back into the room.

"Look I'm sorry" Camdien said sitting down on the bed and trying to talk some sense into Kal.

"Sometimes that isn't enough" Kal said, before deciding that fighting for a room change wasn't worth it.

"You're staying?" Camdien asked hopeful.

"Not for you" Kal said making sure that he placed the calendar somewhere that Camdien couldn't find the calendar.

"Okay, okay…..great" Camdien said getting his side of the room cleaned up. Kal just shook his head before heading out to formally get ready for the day. He had to call Chloe back and see what she wanted him to do. He could tell Clark, but he wasn't real sure on what Clark would do with the information and from the looks of Lex's activities, he shouldn't be in Clark's and the twin's life just yet. He didn't want to not tell Clark, but he would wait on making a decision after he spoke with Chloe.


	12. Act XII:  Learning the Truth

_Act XII: Learning the Truth_

"Hello" Chloe said into her cell phone while she worked at the Torch helping the high school students who put the paper together.

"Kal" Chloe screeched drawing attention to her; she blushed before going off in a corner to talk to Kal.

"Chloe, Lex knows" Kal said sighing into the phone.

"I know. I sooooo already got a call from Lex to figure out where Clark is; if only he knew" Chloe said sighing as well, she wasn't real sure on how long she could hold Lex off but she knew Lex needed to calm down before doing anything with Clark and the twins.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Kal asked hoping that Chloe had an answer.

"I don't know; I just can't in good conscience keep this from Clark, but I need to keep it from Lex."

"I know. So what is the answer?" Kal really wanted to break the news to Clark in person not over the phone or IM.

"If I stall Lex, will you tell Clark?" Chloe said hating the idea of stalling Lex on his quest for Clark. She had thought on many occasions that the best thing for Lex would be Clark and the twins, but his recent behavior proved otherwise. What she didn't know was that Lex was doing those things because of not finding Clark.

"I will if you want me to; just understand that I am telling Clark that you know as well. So if he needs to talk to someone there he can talk to you."

"Works for me" Chloe said before saying goodbye and hanging up.

Once Kal hung up the phone with Chloe, Kal dialed the Kent's number and waited for someone to answer.

"Kal come on!" Camdien said motioning for Kal to come out and party with him. Kal shook his head just as the phone was answered.

"Kent Farms, Clark speaking"

"Duuuuuuude" Kal said with a smile on his face, he loved Clark and he just couldn't bear for Clark not knowing that Lex was looking for him.

"Kal" Clark said laughing a bit at Kal's speaking. Kal could put so much meaning into just one word, and he had the "dude" corner on that.

"So Clark you got some time for me?" Kal said in a serious voice.

"Uh yeah" Clark said before he spoke with Martha to watch the twins for a bit while he spoke with Kal.

"You ready" Kal said waiting for Clark to respond in a positive.

"Sure go ahead"

"Well, first and fore most, you look very hot in your 'Boys and Their Produce' calendar" Kal said with a smile on his face.

"Chloe sent you one?" Clark questioned.

"Sure did, I couldn't pass that one up"

"I am going to restrict her raspberry allotment for sure on that one"

"Okay, but you may be doing something to me as well"

"What?"

"Well I had the calendar out and well….." Kal hesitated before he broke the news to Clark.

"And well what? Is it that bad?"

"Not bad per say, but not something that you wouldn't have expected."

"Well, spit it out"

"Lex Luthor saw it and is now looking for you, well actually he has been looking for you for awhile, but now he really wants to find you" Kal said trying to break the news as fast as possible.

"What do you mean Lex Luthor saw it?" Clark asked stunned. It was one thing to know that Lex was in Great Britain, but it was another to find out that Lex had been looking for him and now had proof that Clark is alive and well.

"Well, the calendar sort of got left out and well Lex came up with Camdien, my roommate, to change or something and he sat on my bed from what I can gather and the calendar was there. So, I am assuming that he saw you on the cover and the rest you now know."

"Is he there?" Clark whispered trying to fight the tears that were coming.

"Not here currently, but he is still in Great Britain. From what I know now, the team that was from Princeton is going to train here for the summer Olympics."

"Really" Clark said perking up at the idea of knowing where Lex was.

"As far as I know" Kal said hoping that Clark wouldn't try and contact Lex.

"Why, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Clark said in a hurt voice.

"Well, Lex's current activities aren't the best, and I didn't want you to get hurt" Kal said sounding sorry that he had kept this from Clark for as long as he did.

"Does any body else know?"

"Chloe does, since her brother was going out with Lex at one point in time" Kal said waiting for Clark to explode.

"What?" Clark yelled before Kal heard the twins crying.

"It's okay" Clark cooed to the twins and then spoke to Kal once he had calmed down.

"Chloe knows the whole thing?" Clark stated angry that Chloe had kept this to herself.

"Yeah" Kal said lamely, he knew that Chloe was in for it he could only hope that Clark didn't do anything rash.

"For how long?"

"I am assuming as long as she knew you and found out about you and Lex" Kal said wincing at the noise that Clark had just made, that being a keening sound that animals made when in pain.

"She knew all this time?" Clark said sad at the fact that Chloe had kept what she knew a secret.

"Yeah, but maybe she had her reasons" Kal said hoping what he said was true; he didn't think that Chloe was the type of person to not just tell you something unless she had a reason.

"And I plan to find those out" Clark said talking with Kal for a few more minutes before hanging up the phone. As soon as Kal left the line, Clark picked up the phone and dialed Chloe's number.

"Sullivan" Chloe barked into the phone.

"Chloe what the hell?" Clark said trying not to wake the children, but trying to get the feelings that he had across to Chloe. Chloe winced at the tone of Clark's voice and knew then that Kal had told Clark the whole story.

"I can explain" Chloe said sitting at one of the café's computer stations.

"I'm listening" Clark said getting angry when Chloe didn't speak right away.

"Okay, okay" Chloe said before looking around and starting on why she did what she did.

"Let me just start out with I didn't know from the time that I met you that you and Lex had a thing. I didn't figure that out until later, and by that time I wasn't really sure on if Lex would be the best thing in your life." Chloe said before taking a deep breath.

"Chloe that wasn't for you to decide" Clark said cutting Chloe off before she could start again.

"I know that now, but at the time I thought it was a good idea."

"Okay, continue"

"Well, as I said in the beginning, I didn't know that you were the Clark that Lex spoke about, so I didn't say anything. Then I started to notice that Lex was looking for you and I started to wonder on if the Kent's were your "natural" parents and well then you sort of told me what was going on. By then Lex had already started down the path of self-destruction and I didn't think that it would be a good idea to have him know about you and the twins."

"Chloe that still doesn't give you the right to hold that from either myself or Lex"

"I know that now. Kal told me that what I was doing wasn't right but by then it was too late to even try and figure out how to tell you both." Chloe said sadness tinting her words. She would totally agree with Lex and Clark if they never wanted to speak to her again, she deserved it that was for sure.

"Chloe, I just don't know what to say to that. On one hand I understand that you were worried about me and the twins, but on the other I can take care of myself and I would have liked to know." Clark said wondering what he would do now that he knew that Lex was looking for him.

"You don't have to say anything, I will understand on if you never speak to me again. I'm sorry" Chloe said before listening on whether the line had gone dead or not.

"I am going to have to think about this" Clark said before hanging up the phone and wondering on if he would ever be able to trust Chloe again.

"Clark" Martha called from the kitchen, wondering what was going on due to Clark being on the phone as much as he was.

"Mom" Clark said bringing both Arianna and Zaiden into the kitchen, so that he could watch them and talk to his mom on what he should do about Chloe and Lex.

"What's going on?"

"Well, Kal called to tell me that Lex Luthor saw the calendar of me"

"What?" Martha said surprised that Lex had already seen it.

"Yeah and well the story gets better, come to find out that Chloe knew both me and Lex and didn't tell either one of us about the other. Lex has been looking for me for over a year Kal said."

"A year?"

"Yeah, and Chloe told Kal about it and well Kal can't keep a secret if you paid him, so when Lex saw the calendar he knew right away that he had to warn on if Lex came a knocking." Clark said shrugging his shoulders. He wasn't mad at Kal. At least he had the guts to own up to the fact that he knew Lex was looking for him and that he knew where Clark and Lex both were. Chloe, on the other hand, seemed to think that she had to decide what both Lex and Clark needed to know and that bothered him the most.

"Chloe knew" Martha said shocked once again that the bubbly blonde would do something like this to Clark and the twins.

"Yeah, I guess Lex hasn't been on his best behavior and she thought that she was keeping us safe. I should have made that decision, not her." Clark said looking over his two children and wondering on if contacting Lex would be a good idea.

"So what are you going to do?" Martha asked curious on what Clark would do with the information that he now had.

"I dunno, I want to at least contact Lex, but I don't know if I could handle a possible rejection from him."

"I don't think he will reject you, if he has been looking for you for over a year." Martha said a bit worried for Clark about whether Lex really would reject Clark.

"Maybe I will write an e-mail to him, that way he won't find out where I am living until I want to tell him." Clark said already forming an e-mail in his mind for Lex.

"I think that might be a good idea" Martha said showing her approval of Clark's idea.

"Well, I guess I better ask Chloe for his email address."

"What are you going to do about what she did?"

"Haven't decided, but I think stop being her friend is a little much for the reason she gave. I will be mad for awhile but I'm not going to stop being her friend."

"Okay, dear. Do you need me to watch them while you write that e-mail?"

"Yeah, could you?"

"Sure" Martha said going over to where the twins sat locked into the high-tech highchairs that Martin and James got the twins when they were born. Clark exited the room with the phone in hand.

"Sullivan" Chloe said into the phone with out her usual barking manner.

"Hi Chloe" Clark said shyly.

"Clark" Chloe said relieved that Clark hadn't stopped talking to her, because once Lex knew he wasn't going to speak to her for a very, very, very long time or maybe not at all.

"Chloe, I need Lex's e-mail address"

"Okay" Chloe said with a sinking heart, she knew nothing good would come of this, but she couldn't stop Clark now that he knew.

"Hold on let me get a pencil and paper" Clark said going over to the computer desk and getting some paper.

"Ready" Clark said with the pencil ready.

"It is destinys_" Chloe said wincing a bit at the fact that Lex and Clark had spoken on the IM before.

"That was Lex I was IM-ing a few months ago?" Clark said surprised that he didn't notice that he was IM-ing Lex from the username.

"Yeah it was" Chloe said worried that Clark would go off on her again. Clark just sighed before hanging up the phone once he said his goodbyes to Chloe. Once Clark got off the phone he logged into the computer and started to work on his e-mail to Lex.

_To: Destinys__

_From: _

_Subject: How are you?_

_Lex,_

_I know that you are probably wondering who is writing you, and the only thing I can say is Clark McBride. I hear from a mutual friend that you have been looking for me; sorry to have been such a hard catch but I have been busy. I know that is a horrible excuse, but things have happened and I am just now sort of settling down again._

_I was just writing to tell you hello and that I have missed you this last year. I know I sound sappy but I guess with the way that you treated me, I kind-of clung to your treatment. As you could tell by my brother, the McBride's aren't the happiest people toward me. I know this is TMI, but I just seem to want you to know._

_I will end things here, if you want to maybe correspond or anything I would love to hear from you._

_Clark_

Clark smiled at the e-mail before sending it along to Lex; he could only hope that Lex would write back. And write back Lex did, for not an hour later there was an e-mail in Clark's mailbox.

_To: _

_From: Desinys__

_Subject: Re: How are you?_

_Clark,_

_Well isn't it nice to hear from you? I must say that your excuse of being busy just isn't enough for me, what was it that you were busy doing; and what sort of settling in is there for you to do? I am truly intrigued as to what you have been up to these few months, for I have spent a lot of time and effort into finding you with no success and here you are just writing me out of the blue to say "hello"._

_I did notice that you and the McBride family are not on the best of terms, but you must have spoken to someone to know that I was looking for you. I was going to apologize for the way that I left things, but I think I am going to have to say no on that. I can't believe that you thought it would be okay to just write me like this._

_Here is where I end things, don't contact me again._

_Alexander Luthor_

As Clark read the words on the screen, and he couldn't help but cry at the hurtful words that Lex had spewed forth. He had to wonder why he thought that Lex was a nice guy, and would have understood the issues that Clark had been dealing with. He was glad now for not mentioning the twins for he was certain that Lex would have said something cutting about either them or Clark, and he wasn't going to allow for anyone to say anything bad about his children. They may have been an accident but that doesn't give others the right to say mean things about them. Clark continued to cry until Martha came into the room.

"Clark"

"Mom" Clark said before totally breaking down and crying into Martha's stomach.

"What happened dear?"

"I wrote Lex and this is what he sent back" Clark said pointing to the screen without removing his face from his mother's stomach. Martha read over the e-mail multiple times before she was able to calm herself down enough to not go and find Lex Luthor and give him a piece of her mind. For she was certain on one thing and it would be that he wouldn't like what she had to say about him and his attitude toward others.

"Clark, I hate to say this, but I think it needs to be said. You need to just forget about him and move on; there are others that are much better for you than him." Martha really didn't want to say that, but she had to let Clark know that he was worth everything in the world and more for what he was doing and doing well with his children, and people like Lex shouldn't drag him down.

"Mom" Clark sobbed out not wanting to hear the words that Martha had spoken, he knew they were true but it still hurt to hear them none the less.

"I know dear, I know how hard it must be to hear that, but Clark there are better young men out there, you just need to get out there and find them." Martha said thinking of a particular young man that she had met on more than one occasion living in Smallville as long as she had. She just wondered on if either Clark or the young man would take a step toward getting to know each other better. She would work on getting them to meet somewhere, where it wouldn't be a huge deal for them to meet at, like maybe at the Talon Computer Café that Mrs. Fordman ran.

"Clark" Martha called out to her son, she had to at least see if he wanted to meet new people or not for her plan to work out.

"Yeah" Clark said looking up with a tear stained face.

"Would you be willing to meet someone that I set you up with?" Martha sort of blushed at the way that she worded her sentence, but it was the best that she could think of at the time.

"Mom" Clark said embarrassed about having his mother set him up on a date.

"Clark don't be embarrassed, it won't be like I set you up with a non-gay person. I am just trying to help too, I hate to see you unhappy and this I know will make you unhappy for a very long time until you get out there and find that others are out there and interested in you for you."

"Okay, mom" Clark said now pulling away and feeling a bit better about what Martha has said. He had to agree if Lex was only looking to apologize for running out, then the "family" that Clark had envisioned would never happened.

"Really" Martha said excited at the idea of setting her son up with someone who would appreciate him.

"Really, just don't go picking a super dork okay?"

"You know I have better taste than that. I know just the person" Martha said before running off and finding the phone number that she needed to call the person she had in mind.

"Who is it?" Clark said coming behind his mom to see her sorting through a list of numbers that she had gotten for the PTA when they had signed up Clark for school. Zaiden and Arianna were in their highchairs fast asleep.

"Well, if I tell you then it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?" Martha said before giggling like a school girl at the idea of the match she was about to make. One would never think that the person she was about to call would be gay, but that just goes to show how they came in all sorts. Clark sat at the table ready to figure out who it was that she was calling.

"Hello" Martha said looking over at Clark, to make him go away. It was at this time that Arianna woke up and started to cry, Clark made a face at Arianna waking up right then, but knew that she wouldn't stop crying until her diaper was changed and he would have to do both because after he would change Arianna, Zaiden would wake up not two minutes later and start to cry as well. Once Clark left the room with both babies in his arms Martha spoke again.

"Sorry about that Gail, but is Whitney around?" Martha held onto the phone before there was a different voice on the line.

"Hello?" Whitney said wondering on who was calling him, since he had just gotten home from lacrosse practice.

"Whitney, its Martha Kent"

"Hi, Mrs. Kent" Whitney said confused on why Martha would be calling.

"Call me Martha"

"Okay"

"The reason why I was calling was because my son, Clark, needs to get out more and I thought that maybe you could help him meet new people."

"Clark is your son?" Whitney said with his mouth hanging open, due to Clark being a Kent and not something else. He had checked Clark out on multiple occasions and wondered on who he was and what he was doing in Smallville.

"That he is" Martha said now smirking due to the fact that she could tell the lust in Whitney's voice over her son.

"Oh sure, no problem" Whitney said dancing around his room for being able to meet Clark in person.

"Whitney you are a dear"

"Thanks Mrs….Martha, is there somewhere you would suggest for me to take Clark?"

"Oh I don't know, wherever. He should be available anytime during the day and after deliveries" Martha said before Whitney cut her off.

"Clark delivers the produce that my mom uses at the Talon?"

"That he does, and he also grows it himself since Jonathan and I have black thumbs when it comes to growing things."

"He grows it? Mom says it's amazing and that she could only hope to grow produce that tastes that good." Whitney said already thinking about what he would say to Clark on their "date/non-date".

"Well, you could tell him that when you meet him. How about you call the house later and you can set up a time with him." Martha said eyeing the door waiting for Clark to burst in with his children on his arms.

"Works for me, thanks Mrs…Martha. I have wanted to talk to Clark for awhile, but I wasn't really sure on what was going on."

"It's all right and it's no problem, hope to see you soon" Martha said before saying her goodbyes to Whitney and then hanging up the phone. Just as soon as she hung up the phone Clark came into the kitchen with Arianna and Zaiden strapped to him.

"Where are you all off to?" Martha asked puzzled on where Clark was going and taking his children.

"We are off to the greenhouse; I hear someone has some blackberry pies to make for the 4th of July celebration tomorrow."

"Clark I totally forgot all about that" Martha said now frantic about getting the pies ready for the celebration that would take place tomorrow.

"We shall return with blackberries in hand." Clark said before leaving out the backdoor and going to greenhouse.

"How could I have forgotten that?" Martha asked herself before shaking her head and beginning on the crust for the pies that she was going to bake.


	13. Act XIII:  Enter a New Player

_Act XIII: Enter a New Player_

It was twenty minutes later that Clark and the twins came back into the house with a huge basket full of fruit that Martha could use in her pies.

"We're back" Clark called out setting the basket on the table and looking for Martha since she wasn't in the kitchen. At about the time that Clark was going to move into the living room to get Arianna and Zaiden to lie down, the phone rang.

"Kent Farms, Clark speaking" Clark said into the phone like he did every time he answered the phone.

"Clark" the other person said on the other line.

"Speaking" Clark said now more confused on what was going on.

"Whitney Fordman" Whitney stated to Clark, hoping that Clark knew who he was.

"Oh, hello" Clark said pleasantly to Whitney, due to him being nice to Clark in town when he made visits to the Talon.

"I was wondering if maybe you wanted to get together at the 4th Celebration?" Whitney said biting his lip waiting for an answer from Clark.

"Sure" Clark said beaming at the idea of not having to tag along with his parents, for he knew that they wanted some alone time but with the twins it was pretty much impossible. At least until Clark moved into the almost finished "cabin" that Martha had picked out for them.

"Great, I'll come by and pick you up?" Whitney asked happy that Clark had accepted.

"Sure" Clark said forgetting for a moment that Arianna and Zaiden had to go with someone. At the time that Clark got off the phone, Martha wandered into the kitchen.

"Clark" she said looking at her beaming son and the phone that lay next to him.

"Good news?" Martha said tilting her head to toward the phone.

"Yeah, Whitney Fordman just asked me to go with him to the 4th Celebration." Clark said smiling yet again at the idea of someone liking him for him.

"And I am assuming with the grin on your face that you accepted" Martha said a smirk on her face on the match she had just made.

"That I did" Clark said right before Zaiden made his presence known.

"Mom?" Clark said shocked that he had forgotten his children and the celebration.

"Yes?" Martha said eyeing her son's face, which went from beaming to frowning.

"I agreed to go with Whitney and didn't realize that Zai and Aria need to come with me." Clark said wondering on if he could back out, due to being afraid that Whitney wouldn't want Clark if he had kids.

"Well, they go with you and if Whitney doesn't like them or feels that they are too much then it wasn't meant to be. The person you fall in love with should not fault you on your children." Martha said worried that Clark would do something that he would regret later dealing with his children.

"You're right" Clark said nodding his head in approval before getting up and taking the twins to his room so that he could worry in peace.

The next day Clark woke up happy and excited to be going on his date with Whitney, he was just worried that Whitney would find his children too much and stop seeing Clark, as if he was seeing him now. Clark had to snort at himself for the way he was acting, if the words of Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter books he had taken to reading, "you're acting like a Hufflepuff" and that was one thing he didn't want to act like. Clark took a deep breath before going off and doing his chores in the greenhouse with his children strapped to him fast asleep. Martha and Jonathan sat in the kitchen watching the shadow of Clark's body move around the greenhouse.

"You think he will be okay?" Jonathan asked due to finding out the whole situation that had occurred yesterday.

"I think so, he just needs to move on with his life and not depend on Lex coming through for him. If the e-mail was any indication Lex is just as hurt as Clark, but Clark has more at stake than Lex." Martha said wondering if Clark would ever get over that hurt. She knew he would move on but she wasn't sure if he would ever get over Lex.

"We're back" Clark called coming into the house and placing Zaiden and Arianna in a crib while he went to get washed up. Martha and Jonathan played with them just as soon as Clark left the room. Once Clark had cleaned up he proceeded to get the twins ready for the big day ahead of them. He had no idea what he would tell Whitney when he would meet the twins but he would go with the flow and hope for the best.

"Knock, knock" was spoken by a male voice at the front door of the Kent house.

"Come on in" Martha called from the kitchen making sure the pies she had made were ready for transport.

"Mrs…..Martha" Whitney said as he made his way into the kitchen where he had heard Martha call from.

"Whitney good to see you" Martha said a bright smile on her face.

"You too, so do you know where Clark is?" Whitney asked curious on why Clark hadn't greeted him at the door.

"Oh he is upstairs he should be down in a minute" Martha said before going back to checking the pies, and missing the dark look that passed over Whitney's face. Soon after Martha spoke the words, Clark came stomping down the stairs.

"Hi" Clark said as he saw Whitney at the bottom of the stairs.

"Clark" Whitney said smiling at Clark.

"Sorry about not being at the door, had an issue I needed to handle" Clark said smiling shyly at Whitney. He had wanted to be there when Whitney got there, but Arianna had decided that she wanted to spit up all over Clark and herself.

"Everything okay?" Whitney asked wondering what Clark was having issues with.

"Yeah" Clark said before running back upstairs and getting both Zaiden and Arianna from their cribs where they were asleep. Once both were strapped to him, he made his way back down stairs. When Clark arrived with the twins strapped to him, he was met by Whitney's mouth hanging open. Clark blushed beet red before speaking to Whitney.

"Whitney, I would like for you to meet my son and daughter, Zaiden and Arianna."

"Oh" Whitney said before a not so happy look crossed his face that Clark noticed but choose to ignore, choosing to ignore that look would cause Clark and his children pain on down the line.

"Well, aren't they cute" Whitney said his voice tight due to finding out that Clark wasn't as pure as he made himself seem to be.

"Yeah" Clark said looking down at Arianna and the look she had on her face, it was not a happy one but Clark couldn't think of anything that would set her off.

"Well, let's get going" Whitney said making his way out of the house and to his sports car that he had driven there.

"I think we will have to take my mom's car" Clark said already making his way to the car so that he could strap his kids in. Whitney grimaced at the idea but followed along. The conversation to the celebration was light due to Clark finding out that Whitney was the star lacrosse player for Smallville High.

"Clark" Chloe bounded up to the Vue holding the four riders.

"Chloe" Clark said with a warm smile on his face, he had spoken with her about what had happened and she explained that she had only done what she thought was best and that she would do it again, to save him from the pain he had now. Clark had to agree, but was still hurt that she hadn't said anything to him, but instead to Kal who couldn't keep a secret if you paid him to.

"Chloe" Whitney said a tab bit cooler than Clark liked, but Clark thought it might have to deal with jealously and that made his heart warm.

"Whitney" Chloe said surprised that Whitney was in the car with Clark and the twins; she knew that this pairing would not be a good match. She had heard the rumors about Whitney beating his boyfriends when they became a little too independent, and Chloe knew that Clark would be independent for the sheer fact that he had kids. She only hoped that Clark would leave before it was too late.


	14. Act XIV:  Time Flies

_Act XIV: Time Flies_

_~ One Year Later~_

"What did I tell you?" Whitney yelled to the body lying on the floor of the house he was in. The body only whimpered in response, they knew better than to try and answer.

"Answer me!" Whitney yelled again before kicking the body on the floor.

"That I wasn't allowed to go out in a t-shirt" the body said shaking for fear of what was to come next.

"That's right, and what do I find you in when I arrive?" Whitney asked tapping his foot to the floor, and the body on the floor knew it would not be a good day.

"In a t-shirt"

"That's right, Clark you are mine and you will do as I say. Is that understood?" Whitney asked Clark who was lying bloodied on the floor.

"Yes, sir" Clark said bowing his head in submission hoping that he would get out of this with not too bad of a beating.

"Good, now for your punishment" Whitney said tapping his chin with a finger and making Clark fear for his life. It was fifteen minutes later that a semi-bloodied Whitney left the house to go to "hang with the boys". Clark made sure that Whitney left before he started to clean up the mess that he had made while getting beat. It was while in the middle of this process that a call came from the front door.

"Dada, dada" Clark smiled that the sound of his daughter calling his name. She had just started speaking more than a few days ago and he still couldn't help that his children where growing up so fast. Zaiden seemed to check the world out before pointing to something and gurgling, he just couldn't wait to hear Zaiden make more sense than he did currently. Clark smiled sadly at his mother, due to her gasp of horror at the state that Clark was in.

"Clark Jerome Kent" Martha said making her way over with the twins totting slowly behind her.

"I know mom" Clark said sad at the idea of either his parents or his children seeing him this way.

"Dada, Dada" Arianna said followed by Zaiden. Clark smiled again.

"Clark you have to leave"

"And go where mom? He knows where I am and he sure as heck won't give me up now. He needs to leave, but to do that he has to go away for college and that won't happen until the end of the summer" Clark said sitting down and pulling his children to him. Arianna from the beginning had not liked Whitney and he had wondered why, now he knew. He would never get over the first time that Whitney had beaten him, he had done it for no real reason and apologized as soon as he saw what he did, but now Clark wished that he had walked away that day.

"Clark" Martha said trying to comfort her baby boy, but she knew that the words he spoke were correct. Clark only had a few weeks before Whitney would go off to college and hopefully find someone else. She hated to think that, but her baby was hurting and she was not above having someone else take his pain now.

"Fine then we wait, but I swear if he does anything to those babies. I am going to kill him, no one touches those babies like that" Martha said with steel in her tone, Clark couldn't agree more.

"We wait then" Clark said looking at the twins with love in his eyes.

"Dada, dada….lowve you" Arianna said before Zaiden patted at Clark. It made Clark smile, and hope that he would get through just a few more weeks of torture.

_~One Year Later~_

"I'm baaaaaaaack" was called into the front door of Clark's house. When there was no response the voice let themselves in and looked around.

"Disgusting" Whitney said wrinkling his nose at the stuff laying about the house. It was at this time that he heard a nose coming from the back of the house. Whitney made his way to the back of the house, and saw the twins playing with a ball while squealing with glee.

"He must not be far from those brats" Whitney said scanning the area for Clark. When he didn't find Clark right away he made his way over to the twins.

"Hello" Whitney said with a sneer on his face, he had hated these kids from the moment he met them. They took up all of Clark's time and Clark still would not say how he came to have the brats, he wouldn't put it past the whore that he fucked a friend and that they got pregnant and thought he would do the right thing by taking the kids. Arianna looked up to Whitney and her eyes took on a decidedly Lex-ian color steel-blue.

"Hi" Arianna said while Zaiden hid behind her, he never liked the man either but he knew Arianna was better equipped for the task.

"Where is your father?" Whitney said still sneering at the two. Arianna didn't say anything for a long moment, before Whitney grabbed her and began to shake her.

"Where is your father?" Whitney asked shaking Arianna's small frame. Arianna did not speak but she saw her brother run to get their daddy. Whitney was just about to hit her with a voice spoke.

"If that lands I will kill you"

"Clark" Whitney said standing up while releasing Arianna from his grasp. The look on Clark's face said that there would be no coming back for what he had done.

"It isn't what it seems"

"And what was that? That you were going to give her a pat on the back? Do I look stupid?" Clark said going to his daughter and picking her up, she had tears in her eyes and bruises already starting to form. This was the last straw, love or no; no one touched his children that way.

"Get out" Clark whispered while rocking his daughter in his arms.

"What?" Whitney asked shocked that Clark had spoken back.

"You heard me loud and clear. Get. Out. And don't you ever come back here again. We are through; no one touches my children that way, so get out." Clark said in a deadly whisper while rubbing Arianna's back, trying to calm her.

"Clark" Whitney said getting angry at the idea of Clark being independent. This was why he had tried to talk his parents in him staying close to Smallville, it seemed that in his time away that Clark had grown a backbone.

"No listen to me, because I only plan to say this once. Get. Out. I don't want you here and if you ever touch either one of my children at all I will hunt you down like the animal you are and kill you." Clark said holding Arianna tightly to his chest. Whitney just looked on in shock that Clark had spoken to him like that.

"Do you understand?" Clark asked.

"Cla…."

"I asked you do you understand. It is a yes/no answer."

"Yes" Whitney grounded out, he was furious for the way that Clark was acting.

"Good, now leave" Clark said waiting for Whitney to leave. Whitney spun on his heels and stomped off to his sports car and sped out of the drive. After Clark knew he was gone, he placed Arianna on the ground next to Zaiden and hugged the stuffing out of them.

"Daddy hurt" Zaiden said due to Clark holding on too tight.

"Sorry, sorry" Clark said patting at his two children to make sure that they were both fine. A few minutes later Martha came over and noticed that Clark, Arianna and Zaiden were playing with the hose that had a flower head on it dancing merrily are it sprayed water out and onto the three. Martha just smiled at the happy scene and couldn't resist taking pictures with the camera she carried around all the time.

"Clark" Martha called after she had taken the pictures.

"Gram, Gram" both Arianna and Zaiden said running over to Martha soaking wet. Clark looked over to his mother with a huge smile on his face, which she hadn't seen since he had first started dating Whitney.

"Why the smile?" Martha asked as Clark made his way over to where his mother and children were.

"I broke up with Whitney" Clark said happy and sad, due to the situation.

"How?" Martha asked shocked that Clark had finally stood up to Whitney.

"He was going to hit Arianna because she wouldn't answer him. I got there just in time." Clark said darkly at the idea of Whitney hurting his children.

"What?" Martha yelled making both Zaiden and Arianna scared.

"Yeah" Clark said cuddling his children.

"You think this is the end?"

"No, but I am not going back to that. I refuse to be beat because of "he loves me and it is in my best interest" that is bull and we both know it."

_~ Three Months Later~_

"Dada, dada" Zaiden said pulling Clark along the Smallville downtown streets.

"Dis one" Arianna and Zaiden said pointing to a small stuffed animal in the window. Clark nodded his head and opened the door, as he was about to close it though he heard a screech of tires and then a loud noise that sounded as if something made contact with something. Looking around Clark noticed that people were close to where the local fire hydrant was and pointing at the car that seemed to have made contact. Just as Clark was about to make his way back into the store he noticed a bald head getting out of the car.

"Lex" Clark whispered to him self before making his way over to his squealing children, that were now in the shop and pulling at the stuffed animal they had seen in the window.


	15. Act XV:  Let there be Lex

_Act XV: Let there be Lex_

_~ Lex~_

One could say that Lex Luthor was not a happy camper, driving from his Metropolis home to the BFE, called Smallville. His father had summoned him home just as soon as he found that Lex was going to train for the Olympics over in Great Britain. With the directive of "you are to learn responsibility" Lex was given a plane ticket by one of his father's minions and taken to the airport with nothing but the clothes on his back. Lex came out of his reverie when the huge sign welcomed him to "Smallville, Kansas where small towns have their roots."

"You have to be kidding me" Lex said as he pulled over and looked at the sign through blue-gray sunglasses. Lex took a few moments to try and compose him self, he still couldn't believe that he was back in Kansas and not over in Great Britain. Lex drove on for ten more minutes before making it into the city limits of Smallville, just as he was about to blow by the town he saw a *very* familiar body walking down the street with two children. Lex looked back to the road, due to a large bump that he felt. In his windshield, there was a large tree that he was headed straight for in a small park that was empty.

"Shit" Lex said as he hit something before be was able to brake any harder then he already was. As soon as he made contact with the object, water began to spray everywhere and people began to gather. Lex hopped out of the car and looked around trying to see the person that he had seen before.

"Are you all right?" Someone asked him as he stood looking around the town and its people.

"Fine, fine" Lex said waving his hand in the air not really caring what the people were saying. He was intrigued to know why Clark McBride or at least what he thought was Clark McBride was in Smallville, Kansas with what looked like two children.

"Sir, sir" a voice called to him as they lead him away from the scene.

"Sir, can you tell us what happened?" a female voice said with a hint of disapproval in the tone.

"I hit a fire hydrant, what does it look like happened?" Lex said getting frustrated already with the people in the town that he hadn't been in for more than twenty minutes. It was thirty minutes later that the crowd left and Lex was escorted to Luthor Castle while his car was towed to the local repair shop to get fixed. He knew his father was so going to ream him out about it, but he couldn't help what had happened. Seeing Clark after four years was a shock and even more shocking was that he had kids with him and was in BFE, Kansas.

"I have to know what is going on" Lex mumbled to himself as he made his way around the castle that his father had exiled him to.

A few days later found Clark still freaking out about seeing Lex again after four years.

"Are you sure he won't take them away?" Clark asked his mom for what was probably the millionth time.

"I don't see how he could, I mean you contacted him and he told you not to contact him; it was not the other way around." Martha said patting her son's shoulder in hopes of calming him down.

"If you're sure…." Clark said letting the end trail off, he had said this enough to know that his mother believed that Lex wouldn't do anything to him or his children.

"Daddy, up" Zaiden said with his arms stretched out in front of him. Clark picked him up and made his way back into the kitchen to wait on dinner. It was just as they were about to eat dinner that the phone rang.

"Martha could you get that?" Jonathan said as he sat at the table with Clark fighting with both Arianna and Zaiden in their semi-normal highchairs.

"Kent Farms, Martha speaking"

"Mrs. Kent, I presume" a male voice said through the phone.

"Yes" Martha said making both Clark and Jonathan look over at her.

"Am I to understand that you sell produce to the citizens of Smallville?" The voice asked.

"Yes, our son grows and delivers" Martha said even more confused on what was going on.

"Well, I am the new butler at Luthor Castle and the resident master would like a quote on how much it would cost to supply the castle with fresh produce."

"You might have to speak with my son on that, can he call you back after dinner?" Martha said wondering on if Clark would even call if there was a chance at seeing Lex at the castle.

"Oh of course he may…." The man on the line then gave a phone number to be reached at and a list of things that he would like delivered to the castle if it was possible.

"Thank you, bye" Martha said before hanging up the phone and sitting down at the dinner table.

"Who was that Martha?" Jonathan asked wondering on if this had anything to do with Lex coming into town. Since the young man's arrival the town had turned its self into a tizzy.

"Just a servant up at Luthor castle that wants to get a quote from Clark about how much it will cost to deliver up there" Martha watching as horror came across Clark's face.

"What?" Clark said followed by both Arianna and Zaiden saying it as well sounding like birds.

"Yes, it sounds as if the resident master would like fresh produce" Martha said hoping that Clark wouldn't do anything too rash.

"I can't deliver _there_" Clark said waving his arms around.

"Yes you can" Martha stated matter of fact-ly.

"How?" Clark asked incredulous of Martha's statement.

"You deliver when he is out, simple as that" Martha said hoping that her answer worked for Clark.

"Oh" Clark said deflating a bit, now that he wouldn't have to deal with Lex at all. With the breakup from Whitney still fresh, Clark really didn't want to start anything with anybody. He just wanted to spend his days with his children and maybe go out with Chloe if there was a need.

"Think of it this way, you can get paid while avoiding him and staying out of Whitney's firing range" Martha said while passing the food around the table.

"Okay, okay" Clark said already thinking about prices that he could charge the Luthor heir. After dinner was eaten and Clark helped his mother clean up, he made his way over to the phone to call the castle back. After the third ring it was picked up.

"Hello, Luthor Castle" the voice said making Clark worry that it was Lex on the other side.

"Uh, someone called about a produce quote" Clark said feeling like a complete dweeb for calling the castle.

"Ah, that would be Enrique let me send you to him" the voice said before he was put on hold and transferred.

"Luthor Castle, Enrique speaking" the voice stated in a clear and strong voice, that gave Clark a bit of confidence.

"Hi, you called Kent Farms earlier and I am calling you back"

"Oh yes" Enrique said before shuffling papers, he had thought when the woman had said that the son would call back that it was a brush off. It seemed that things worked differently in the town of Smallville, than they did in Metropolis.

"So what is it that you are wanting and how often?" Clark questioned the man, almost at ease with the conversation.

"Well, I was told that we were to have fresh produce daily if possible and anything that was in season as well as a few key things that must be included as well." Enrique said shocked that the young man had an idea of what was going on at the castle. He had called multiple places and none of them had been able to meet the needs of the Luthor heir, but he could hope that a hometown farm would be a bit more willing to cater to Lex's needs. The conversation went on in that vain for about twenty minutes, before it was decided that Enrique would write up the proposal and submit it to his employer for approval or denial. The next day for Clark dawned an almost autumn day as Clark got both his children up and ready to go and visit Gram for the day, before Clark made his rounds for deliveries. It was as Clark was making his way back to the farm that his cell phone rang in his pocket.

"Hello" Clark said hoping that it wasn't Whitney calling to beg for Clark to take him back. He had already done that multiple times with little success but he wouldn't put it pass Whitney to do it again.

"Clark Kent" a male voice stated over the phone.

"Yes" Clark said now confused on who it was on the other side, since only his family and Chloe had the number.

"Enrique from Luthor Castle, your mother gave me this number to reach you at."

"Oh" Clark said shocked that he was hearing back from the man so early.

"Well, I showed my employer the proposals and yours won"

"Wow" Clark said stunned at the idea of having a winning bid.

"Yes, so I was wondering is it possible to have our first delivery today? We have some company coming and the fresh produce would be nice."

"Sure, let me go back home and get the produce in the proposal and come on over" Clark said watching the road as he made his way back to the farm.

"Sounds fine, just press the button at the gate and say that you are there to deliver the produce and you will be let right in" Enrique said before saying good bye and hanging up. Clark made his way back to the farm as quickly as he could. His mother and children where outside waiting for him as he made his way up the drive.

"Daddy, daddy" both Arianna and Zaiden said as Clark got out of the car and made his way over to them.

"Hi you two" Clark said picking up his children and spinning them around.

"Clark did that man from Luthor Castle call you?" Martha asked concerned on if the man had good news or bad news.

"Yeah, I won the bid so now I have to get the order together and take it over there" Clark said making his way to the greenhouse to gather the produced being ordered.

"Oh okay, do I need to take the twins?" Martha said eyeing her son for a reaction to the question.

"Nah, I think I will be in and out so it won't be a problem. That way you can get dinner started for the Templeton's." Clark said making his way around the greenhouse grabbing various pieces before making his way over to a crate.

"Help, help" Arianna said trailing behind her daddy.

"Okay" said before pointing to something and asking for one. Arianna and Zaiden both went off to "help" by bringing back the produce Clark had pointed out. Five minutes later had Clark and the twins in the truck making their way to the castle, while Martha was in the kitchen worrying on if Clark would see Lex while there.

"I'm here to deliver the produce" Clark said into the speaker box.

"Just a moment" the crackly voice said as Clark waited for the gate to open.

"Mr. Kent" another voice said that Clark recognized as the voice from earlier.

"Yes"

"Just on time, the guest is due to arrive shortly." With those words the gate opened and Clark made his way up the drive and to the back entrance that he could see. Once there Clark was greeted by an older Italian male.

"Welcome Mr. Kent to Luthor Castle."

"Hello" Clark said wondering on if he could make it out of the castle before Lex would see him.

"Come on in" Enrique said before noticing the two children in the truck with Clark.

"Yours?"

"Yes" Clark said getting out the truck and making his way to the bed.

"How about they come in while you finish delivering this" Enrique said with a smile on his face. He did always love when Young Master Luthor was a child, due to his sheer curiosity with the going ons of the house.

"Sure" Clark said going over to the other side and getting his children out of the car seats.

"Right this way" Enrique said as he escorted all three Kents into the kitchen area of the kitchen.

"Clark" a voice said from behind him.

"Chloe?" Clark said before turning around and coming face to face with Chloe Sullivan.

"Clark what in the world are you doing here?" Chloe said fidgeting as she looked around for Lex.

"Delivering produce, what else?" Clark said wondering on if staying to talk to Chloe would be a bad idea.

"Well, the twins are here" Chloe whispered and pointed to the two playing with the butler.

"Well, I didn't think I would be here long"

"Clark, do you really think that Lex is going to allow someone to deliver something to his house and not meet them?" At those words Clark paled and made a beeline for his kids.

"The produce is here, and we are off." Clark said ushering his children out of the door, he didn't make it far before he heard a voice that he had been dredging and hoping to hear.

"And where do you think you are going?" A voice said like a sharp blade wrapped in silk. Clark could only hope that nothing too horrible would come out of his meeting.

"I am going to take my children home if that is all right, Mr. Luthor" Clark said his voice trying to sound firm. He thought he had done a pretty good job until he looked at Chloe's face, for there on her face was shock which was rare to get out of her.

"Ah if it isn't Clark McBride….with are those glasses?" Lex was cut off by Clark due to him hating to being called a McBride.

"It's Kent, now if you will excuse us" Clark said pushing his children back out the door not waiting for a response. Clark was lucky because Lex was actually shocked that Clark had said a different last name then McBride.

"Chloe" Lex said his voice hinting at pain or death if he was not answered.

"Look Lex, Clark has been a Kent for about four years now." Chloe said starting to ramble on about Clark and being a Kent. Lex listened until he had heard enough from Chloe about Clark and being a Kent.

"Whose children were those?" Lex asked actually jealous that someone else had touched Clark besides him, and a woman at that.

"Well ummmm, I can't tell you" Chloe said hoping against hope that Lex wouldn't push. She wasn't so lucky.

"And why can't you tell me?"

"Because that is Clark's place to tell you something like that, and he didn't want to so I am not….." Chloe said before being interrupted by another voice.

"Alexander I thought I told you to associate with better people" Lionel Luthor said as he sneered at Chloe.

"Well, hello to you too Mr. Luthor" Chloe said before making her way out of the castle and to the Kent's Farm, due to her need to tell Clark that Lex's interest had been peaked about his children.

"Father" Lex said sarcastically due to the fact that he was not able to question either Clark or Chloe any further about the children in Clark's care.

"Alexander" Lionel said in a warning tone.

"What?" Lex snapped before making his way out of the kitchen and into the study that he had decided to make into his office should he decide to work at home for some reason, which was being made clearer by the minute. While Lex walked with his father to the room in question Lex decided he had some investigating on Clark Kent nee McBride; and if he wanted answers straight from the source that would require being home when deliveries where made.

_~ One Month Later ~_

Lex could say one thing about the town of Smallville, it was small and he hated that fact. He couldn't walk down the street without at least five people walking up to him and telling him what needed to happen with the plant that his father had put in him charge of.

"Mr. Luthor" a female voice called to Lex as he made his way around downtown, hoping to see Clark again. After the first meeting, he had yet to see the young man again and it was killing him not being able to find out any sort of information about the young man. Lex continued walking, hoping that the voice would cease its calling and he could continue on with his search for Clark this day.

"Mr. Luthor" the voice called sounding exasperated at Lex's lack of answering. Lex decided to have mercy on the person and spun around to come face-to-face with a young woman dressed in an outrageously overwhelming amount of pink.

"Lana Lang" the girl said while smoothing her hair with a hand.

"Pleasure" Lex said looking the young woman over and wondering if she was blinded by the amount of pink she had on.

"Well, I was wondering on if you would be interested in going to the Homecoming party at the Talon." Lana said hoping that she would be able to chat up the bald billionaire.

"And why would I want to go to a high school function, when I am clearly no longer a teenager?"

"Well, most of the young people come and I thought it would give you a chance to meet a bit younger crowd than what you deal with at the plant." Lana said now wondering on if Lex would rebuff her. Lex thought about it for a minute before deciding that maybe Clark would be in attendance and that would give him a chance to find out more about the young man that he had thought so much about whether in contact with him or not.

"I won't make any commitments, but there is a the possibility of my coming" Lex said before walking away before Lana had a chance to twitter on about something that he did not want to hear.

Two days later found Lex making his way to the Talon for the Homecoming party that Lana had told him about. He still wasn't sure on if this was a good idea, but when he had gotten a call from his father earlier that day about the socializing that he was not to do he decided then and there that he would go just to piss off his father.

"Mr. Luthor! You made it!" Lana screeched from her spot next to Whitney Fordman. Lex only nodded his head in acknowledgment before making his way over to a blonde head that he knew as Chloe's.

"Ms. Sullivan" Lex said with a smirk on his face. He knew that if Chloe was there that there was bound to be some excitement.

"Lex" said smiling at her friend before looking toward the door to see on if Clark had decided to come or not.

"So why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same question, but with the greeting you got from Lana Lang I would say I seem to know." Chloe said smirk on her face as she saw the slight grimace that crossed Lex's face at the mention of Lana.

"Nothing to do with the young woman dressed in entirely way to much pink. Father decided that I was to not socialize with the residents of Smallville, so I decided to meet and greet them with open arms. And speaking about Smallville residents, where is Clark?"

"Probably at home with the twins" Chloe said narrowing her eyes at what she thought Lex was trying to do.

"Think he will come?"

"Dunno" Chloe said before looking back over to the door and seeing Clark make his way in, only to be stopped by Lana hanging off of Whitney Fordman's arm. Chloe could only shake her head at the way that both Lana and Whitney were trying to gain Clark's attention by going out with each other. Chloe continued to watch as Clark surveyed the room before spotting Chloe and making a beeline over before either Whitney or Lana could drag Clark away for the rest of the party.

"Chloe" Clark said not noticing that Lex was standing sort of close by, speaking with a girl that seemed to have a giggling fit for every time that he spoke to her.

"Clark, see you could make it. Twins with their Gram?"

"Yeah, she said that I needed to "get out more and meet new people"." You saw how well that went last time." Meanwhile, as Clark spoke Lex listened trying to gather more information on the one standing sort of next to him.

"Well, she is right, you just ought to be more selective this time" Chloe said eyeing Lex to see if he was really listening to Sarah Jenkins talk about her homecoming dress. Clark noticed that Chloe's attention wasn't fully on him, and he wanted to know what was going on. As he turned he came face-to-face with the bald head of Lex.

"Crap" Clark said under his breath with pushing up his falling glasses. Chloe noticed and then made her way away from where Lex was standing with Sarah, with that Clark followed happy that Chloe wouldn't push him toward Lex as she had sort of been doing over the last month.

"He asks about you, you know?" Chloe said while they made their way over to the bar where Mrs. Fordman stood with a smile on her face that quickly dropped when she saw Clark.

"He does?" Clark said stunned that Lex would ask about him even after the e-mail that he had sent back to Clark, when Clark had written years ago.

"What can I get you?" A female voice broke into their conversation.

"Oh just a latte, Clark?" Chloe said looking at Clark as he looked very uncomfortable with dealing with the woman standing in front of them.

"Nah, I'm good" Clark said before he heard what Mrs. Fordman said under her breath hoping that they wouldn't hear, but not really caring if they did.

"Good, well my son sure as hell isn't" Mrs. Fordman mumbled before going off and getting Chloe latte ready. She didn't have a problem with the young blonde with Clark, but she was angry that Clark had broken her son's heart like he had. If only she knew the truth about her son, Clark had on occasion hinted to the fact that Whitney was abusive to him but she refused to acknowledge the hints.

"What was that all about?" Chloe asked pointing her head toward where Mrs. Fordman stood making Chloe's latte.

"She seems to think that I broke her son's heart and that I should have stayed with him" Clark said getting angry at the words that Whitney's parents had said to him when he had finally broken up with Whitney.

"Is she crazy?" Chloe said with her eyes wide as saucers.

"I just don't think she thinks her son would do something like that" Clark said not noticing that Lex had made his way over to where Chloe and Clark stood.

"He beat you" Chloe said shocked that a parent would think that abuse was the fault of the person being abused. At the word "beat" Lex made a beeline over to where Whitney and Lana stood talking to the current "queen and king" of Smallville High School.

"Mr. Luthor" Lana said seeing Lex coming their way.

"Ms. Lang" Lex said eyeing Whitney as he watched Clark. This just made him angrier, even though he knew he had no right to interfere with Whitney and Clark.

"Please call me Lana" Lana said before giggling and then attaching herself to Lex.

"Mr. Fordman" Lex said while trying to shake off Lana.

"Mr. Luthor"

"So why are you in the town of Smallville?" Lex asked; once he had found out that Clark loved Lacrosse he had taken an interest in it. He had seen Whitney's name for Met U a couple of times, but it seemed that the youngest Fordman had dropped out or something.

"Taking a year off" Whitney said tension building in his body. He had seen the way that the Luthor heir looked at Clark and he was going to do everything in his power to get Clark back and if that meant being nice to Lex Luthor then so be it.

"Any reason?" Lex said wondering how far this obsession Whitney had for Clark.

"My parents needed me back home"

"Duty calls" Lex said smirking at the lie that Whitney had come up with. The Fordman's were one of the richer families in Smallville, owning both the Talon and Fordman's Store. It was at this time that Lana got called away and left both Whitney and Lex alone.

"So I hear you were going with Clark Kent?" Lex said casually, trying to see how Whitney would react.

"Yes we broke up, but I think we'll get back together. A misunderstanding" Whitney said already trying to find away to go and talk to Clark about what had happened with Arianna. Lex nodded his head and noticed the far away look on his face, he then wondered on what his reaction would be when he heard Lex speak about Clark in a less that business manner.

"A body of an Adonis" Lex said looking over at Clark and watching Whitney out the corner of his eye.

"Don't get your hopes up" Whitney said smirking at the knowledge that he would soon have Clark again and wouldn't have to worry about others moving in on *his* territory.

"I never implied anything, but I do make a point of being at home when he delivers to the castle." Lex could see Whitney grinding his teeth and decided to just push it a bit more.

"Since he is free; I wonder if he would be up to spending some time with me?"

"He won't be going anywhere with you Luthor, leave what is _mine_ alone." Whitney said before stomping off toward Clark. He would just stand back and watch the fireworks on this one. As Whitney approached Clark, he noticed that the look in Clark's eyes was that of fear.

"What do you want?" Clark said trying to sound as strong as possible in front of Whitney.

"We need to talk" Whitney said grabbing Clark's arm.

"I don't think so, we have nothing to talk about" Clark said pulling his arm away from Whitney but not being very successful.

"Yes we do" Whitney said pulling on Clark even harder; he was now causing pain to Clark's arm.

"Let. Go!" Clark said in a panic now, due to Whitney starting to drag him outside. Meanwhile Mrs. Fordman watched her son with a bit of shock on her face, the way that he was treating Clark was nothing like how she had raised her son to act. Just as Clark and Whitney made it to the door, Clark was rescued by Chloe.

"Fordman, what the hell?" Chloe said grabbing Clark's arm out of Whitney's hold and then pushing Clark toward the center of the Talon.

"He's _mine_" Whitney growled to Chloe.

"He isn't anything to you, and if you don't stay away I won't hesitate to drag your ass through the mud" Chloe said with her arms crossed across her chest.

"You don't have anything on me" Whitney said smug that he would get away with beating Clark.

"Do you really think that?" Chloe said stepping closer to him and grabbing something out of her purse. Whitney glanced down and noticed a picture coming to light.

"Don't you come near Clark or those twins, or you Fordman will be arrested and sent to spend some time with others like you" Chloe said slapping the picture in his hand and walking over to Clark. Whitney looked at the picture and had to gasp at the evidence that was printed on the picture. For there on the picture was Clark in the process of being beat by Whitney, he knew that Chloe was sneaky he just didn't know she was this sneaky.

"Clark you okay?" Chloe said checking Clark over for any evidence that Whitney did any harm.

"Just a bit shook up" Clark said in a daze, he had hoped never to be in that sort of situation, but it seemed that Whitney hadn't completely given up yet and that scared him.

"Don't worry; I think I made my point clear that he is to stay away from you and the twins" Chloe said patting Clark on the arm before guiding him over to an empty booth. Clark looked at her in hope. He didn't like the way that Whitney made him feel when he was around, but he knew that he could do nothing since no one would believe him. After a waitress took Chloe's and Clark's order for drinks they spoke in low tones about the twins and how they were doing.

"Mind if I sit here?" Lex said after he had seen that Chloe had calmed Clark down after the Whitney incident. The youngest Fordman would be receiving a warning from him to stay away from Clark, but that wouldn't be until tomorrow. Both Clark and Chloe looked up to see Lex standing by Clark's side of the booth.

"Sure" Chloe said watching Clark for any reaction. What she got made her smile sadly, for Clark looked like the world had given him a great gift, but also horrible gift. Clark knew that he would never have a chance with Lex, but he could hope that something might form if not for him than for the twins.

"Are you all right?" Lex asked Clark concerned that the young man hadn't taken the confrontation well.

"Fine" Clark said looking to Chloe for help, he hadn't spoken to Lex since that day at the castle and he didn't really know what to say to the man now that he couldn't leave the booth.

"Soooo" Chloe said looking at both Clark and Lex and wondering if would be safe for her to leave and see if they could act like normal people. She could feel the tension from both of them, but very different types of tension. Lex's was sexual, while Clark's was just a general nervousness.

"Here you go" the waitress said coming back with another latte for Chloe and a bottle of water for Clark.

"No coffee?" Lex asked Clark.

"No, not much of a fan" Clark said opening his water and taking a sip.

"Chloe can't live without the stuff" Lex said sipping at his own drink, which was a fruit smoothie.

"I know, she comes over in the morning and begs mom for some" Clark said not thinking anything about what he had just said. Lex nodded his head and the table sat in silence until Lana came over.

"Mr. Luthor there you are"

"Ms. Lang"

"Lana" both Clark and Chloe said, before noticing that she had not heard them.

"I want to introduce you to someone" Lana said pouting at Lex.

"I am busy" Lex said not wanting to go and talk to anyone that she wanted him to talk to.

"They're losers" Lana said crossing her arms over her chest but some how managing to push her breasts together to try and make them look good. Chloe whispered to Clark.

"Is that supposed to turn guys on?"

"I think so" Clark said pointing out a guy that was staring at Lana while she begged Lex to go with her.

"Sorry Ms. Lang" Lex said turning away from Lana and looking at Chloe with weariness in his eyes. Just as Lex was about to talk to Clark, Clark's cell phone rang with the "Fraggle Rock" theme.

"Mom" Clark said answering the phone knowing it was his mother. There was a pause before Clark spoke again.

"I'm on my way" with those words Clark waved to Chloe and left the booth with both Lana and Lex watching him leave.

"Well" Lana huffed before turning her sights back on Lex.

"Chloe, Ms. Lang it's been a pleasure but I must go" Lex said following after Clark out of the Talon. Once Lex was outside, he saw Clark's truck pull off and drive toward the farm. Lex had to wonder what was going on but decided to go back to the castle and plot his revenge on Whitney Fordman for beating Clark and touching what was _his_.

Two days later found Clark driving his truck up to Luthor castle with dread in his heart. He was so hoping to not see Lex again but he had a feeling that the man would be there waiting for Clark.

"Enrique" Clark said once he was in the kitchen of the castle.

"Master Clark"

"Just Clark will do" Clark said laughing at what Enrique called him.

"If you could just unload them, I will let Chef know you are here" Enrique said before making a beeline over to the office where Lex was sitting waiting for Enrique to tell him that Clark was here. A few minutes later, Lex walked into the kitchen where Chef and Clark were talking about the produce that was just delivered and where he could put certain things.

"I see you have met your newest produce supplier" Lex said strolling in with a smirk on his face.

"Amazing quality" Chef said not really paying attention to Clark and Lex.

"Mr. Kent would you mind following so that I may write the check for the produce?" Lex said before turning and making his way to his office. Lex had no doubt that Clark would follow but he would be in for surprise when they were alone.

"Mr. Luthor" Clark said his tone telling Lex just what he thought of being alone with the man.

"Please call me Lex" Lex said with a small smile on his face.

"I would prefer to call you Mr. Luthor"

"Clark have a seat, I think we need to talk" Lex said indicating the large leather sofa and chair sitting by a fireplace that seemed to have a fire going.

"Electric" Lex said pointing to the fireplace with the fire. Clark just nodded his head, he didn't really care, but he would humor Lex for a bit of time. Clark made no move toward the couch and chair.

"Have a seat" Lex said again as he stood by the leather chair waiting for Clark.

"No thanks" Clark said turning around and walking out the door. He didn't want to be any where near Lex, with the way that he was acting. He could tell that lust was the only thing on Lex's mind, and Clark wasn't going to be the one to supply his demand of sex.

"Clark" Lex said as Clark closed the door behind him.

"Damn" Lex said as he threw himself in the leather chair that he had been standing by. Clark, on the other hand, was mad that Lex actually thought he could act like they were good friends. Once he arrived home he saw his two children playing with Martha, it made him smile. Even if life was horrible, he only needed to look at his two children and everything would look better.

"I'mmmmm home!" Clark said and then was met by two blurs that were his children.

"Daddy come look" Arianna said pulling her daddy toward where Martha had stuff out on the lawn. As he approached he saw that there were cards with numbers and letters on them.

"Clark" Martha said with a huge smile on her face, due to what the twins had been doing before Clark had gotten home.

"Mom, what's up?"

"Ask them" Martha said before going back to sitting on the grass.

"So you two, what's going on?" Clark said sitting on the ground like Martha since it seemed the best thing to do.

"Daddy look" Arianna said before scrambling around and gathering letters and numbers. When she finished she had arranged her name as well as her brothers and the day that they were born.

"Did you do this by yourself?" Clark asked amazed that Arianna could read already. He had been working with both of them and he didn't really know if they understood what he was showing him. Arianna nodded her head before she smiled at the huge grin on Clark's face.

"Good job" Clark said now hugging her. As Clark looked out the corner of his eyes he saw his son sort of standing by himself with a sad look on his face.

"Mom, would you take Arianna for a few? I think you guys need some girl time, away from us boys. What'da say?" Clark said watching his son as he closed up even more as he stood there.

"Yay" Arianna said before grabbing Martha's hand and dragging her into the house.

"Zaiden" Clark called out to his son. His son only shook his head.

"Zaiden come here" Clark called out again, he felt horrible that he tended to forget his son was there due to his quiet nature, and Arianna always took center stage.

"Daddy" Zaiden said still shaking his head and now trembling due to him holding in tears.

"Oh Zai" Clark said standing up and making his way to his son. Once he stood in front of him he saw what the problem was, Zaiden had wet himself and was now standing in wet pants.

"What happened big guy?" Clark said as he guided Zaiden away from where he was over toward their house.

"I had to go potty, but Gram said I had to wait until Arianna was done playing with those cardy thingies." Zaiden said now opening crying.

"Oh Zai" Clark said again, mad at himself and his mother for doing this to Zaiden.

"Come on, we'll clean you right on up and then we can play. How does that sound?" Clark said as he began a bath for Zaiden so that he could get cleaned up.

"Really?" Zaiden said his eyes lighting up at the idea of spending time with his daddy alone.

"Yup and into the tub you go" Clark said lifting Zaiden and giving him a good scrubbing. The rest of the day was spent bonding with Zaiden while Martha bonded with her granddaughter while Jon was in town at his practice.

The next day Clark dropped off the produce to the castle and was met by a waiting Lex.

"Clark" Lex said once Chef had signed off on the produce.

"Mr. Luthor" Clark said still trying to stay business like with Lex.

"Please call me Lex"

"Mr. Luthor you know my feelings on that" Clark said trying to make it to the door of the castle.

"Clark" Lex said watching as Clark left the castle once again. Once Clark was gone Chef saw the look on Lex's face.

"Perhaps you start on wrong foot, no?" Chef said in a thick French accent.

"I think I may have" Lex said looking forlornly at the door.

"Well, start over and to get to know him, sound good?"

"You, Chef, are a good man" Lex said as he walked out of the kitchen and into the den where he would try and find a way to interact with Clark besides the produce deliveries. For the next month Lex would greet Clark in the kitchen and try to make Clark stay longer then the time before, so far he had Clark in his house for a total of fifteen minutes one day.

"Clark" Lex greeted Clark as he always did. This time Clark's response would surprise him.

"Lex"

"So how are you doing?" Lex said trying to not draw attention to the fact that Clark had just called him Lex.

"Good, glad that the growing season is almost over. The deliveries really cut into the time that I can spend with my twins" Clark said while fiddling with his glasses while talking to Lex as if the were old friends. Clark had thought long and hard on whether or not he would take the peace offering that he was being given. He really wanted someone who could listen to him and hear what he wasn't saying, like how hurt he really was by Whitney's abuse that still occurred.

"So what do you do in the winter?"

"Oh I still grow crops but most of them are in greenhouses where I maintain most of the fruits that are delivered."

"Very interesting" Lex said wondering how Clark did what he did, for he knew he could never get into farming it was too much manual labor for him.

"I find it so" Clark said as he started to make his way to the back door. Lex saw an opportunity to try and keep Clark longer at the castle.

"You wear glasses?" Lex said before sort of wincing at his way of asking about Clark and his glasses, since he had not seen Clark at the party four years ago with glasses on.

"Yeah, I have always worn glasses; McBride Jr. made me wear my contacts at the party." Clark said wondering why his glasses were brought up.

"I understand, just a change to see you with glasses on." Lex said really hoping that he hadn't made Clark mad in any way.

"Oh, okay then" Clark said relaxing a bit due to Lex really not giving off any indication that his glasses were a problem for the bald billionaire. It was then that Lex decided to ask Clark a question that he hoped he wouldn't get a no to.

"Clark I was wondering on if you were going to the fall festival this Friday?"

"Yeah, I was planning to bring the twins. Why?" Clark said almost excited that Lex may be asking him for a date.

"Well, I was wondering if we could go together" Lex said feeling like the horribly awkward teen that he never was in high school.

"I'd like that" Clark said with a smile on his face as he left the castle.

"Me too" Lex whispered before making his way back the den to pace about the almost date he has with Clark. Friday arrived and with it the fall festival that the town put on every year to celebrate the good harvest that arrived, even though there weren't many harvesting any longer. Clark sat in his house getting the twins ready with their costumes that they picked out. Arianna decided that she was to be a butterfly while Zaiden decided on being a scientist. About an hour later the phone rang.

"Hello" Clark said wondering on who would be calling his house today at this time.

"Clark" the voice said and as soon as Clark heard it he wanted to hang up.

"Whitney" Clark said trying to stay calm.

"Going to the festival?" Clark this time was checking the windows to see if he was on the property, since he had in the past done that; watching Clark in the house.

"Yes" Clark said slowly before making his way over to the twins that stood at the front door ready to go.

"See you there" Whitney said before hanging up the phone. Clark could only stare blankly for a moment before deciding that Whitney wasn't going to ruin the day by calling.

"Come on we have a festival to go to" Clark said herding his children out of the house and into the Vue that Martha had let him borrow to go to the fair in. Once they arrived they were greeted by a bounding Chloe.

"Clark!"

"Chloe" Clark said laughing when the kids came up to Chloe and started to babble on and on about their costumes.

"Very nice" Chloe said before looking at Clark and seeing a smile on his face. A truly happy smile, she hadn't seen one of those since before Whitney came into Clark's life.

"Oh Clark"

"Yeah" Clark said looking around and not spotting a blonde head or a bald one for that matter.

"Lex is looking for you; he's over by the kiddie rides. Let me take you there" Chloe said smiling a bit more due to Clark's face lighting up at the thought of being by Lex.

"Sure, sound good to you two? Go to the rides?" Clark said taking hold of Zaiden's hand while Chloe took Arianna's and the children took each other's hand.

"Ready?" Clark said before Chloe guided them off to the "kiddie rides" and to a waiting Lex. Once they arrived Clark saw Lex just sort of looking around and looking sad.

"Lex" Clark called out before making his way over to Lex. As he did so, Zaiden hid behind his leg and Arianna stood next to Clark.

"Why hello" Lex said bending down and coming face to face with a girl with flaming red hair and steel-blue eyes. If Lex didn't know any better he would say that the child in front of him was his. He just didn't know how right he was.

"And what is your name?" Lex asked wondering how old she and her hiding brother were.

"Arianna Maelle Kent" Arianna said watching the man in front of her.

"And how old are you?"

"Three and three quarter's years old" Arianna said holding up three fingers.

"And when is your birthday?" Lex asked wanting to get to know the children that were in Clark's life.

"January 21st" Arianna said before looking around and seeing a ride that she wanted to go on.

"Daddy can I go?" Arianna said pointing to the ride and hoping that her father would say that she could go.

"Okay" Clark said making his way over to the ride in question with Lex and the twins in tow. Chloe some how left while Lex was questioning Arianna. It was a happy Clark and Lex that left the festival with two sleeping children in their arms.

"Where are you parked?" Lex said looking around for the truck that Clark usually drove.

"Right there" Clark said pointing out Martha's Vue. Once there, Clark began to strap in Zaiden and also showing Lex how to strap Arianna in her seat. It was at this point that things got awkward for both of them. Lex wanted to follow behind Clark and visit him at his house, but he didn't want to push too much. Clark on the other hand had a different issue to deal with. He had seen Whitney a couple of times at the festival, and he was worried that if he saw Lex's car outside that he would assume that Lex was ravishing his body or something equally as stupid. Clark may have wanted Lex to ravish him but he knew better than to have that happen so soon at the beginning of what Clark thought of as a friendship.

"Can I follow you back?" Lex asked after he had Arianna in her seat and was standing next to Clark at the driver's side door. Clark didn't want to say no, but he also didn't want Whitney on his case about it.

"Sure" Clark said wondering if he was crazy to let Lex over to his house so soon after the breakup with Whitney. Once they arrived to Clark's house, both Lex and Clark had to carry the sleeping twins in the house. Clark was glad that he had Lex there with him due to both of his children sleeping and him having no real way to get them both in the house at the same time.

"Thank you" Clark said as he finished changing Arianna into her pajamas and pulling the covers around her body.

"Any time" Lex said looking Clark in the eye with a serious look on his face.

"I mean that Clark, any time you need help just let me know" Lex said trying to convey how deep his caring was for Clark and now his children. The twins were a little scared of Lex due to Whitney but once they opened up to him and he was not adverse to their way of acting they began to like Lex more and more.

"Drink?" Clark asked making his way downstairs and into the kitchen for a glass of milk.

"No, thank you" Lex said sitting down at the kitchen table and looking around the house. From the outside it looked like a one hundred year old house, but on the inside the house was the most modern a house could get that was one hundred years old.

"This is a nice house" Lex said wondering on who actually owned the house.

"Thank you, I worked long and hard on it" Clark said coming and sitting down at the table with his glass of milk.

"Milk does a body good" Lex mumbled to himself as he saw that Clark was drinking milk.

"Did you say something?" Clark said missing what Lex had said due to him being deep in thought about Whitney.

"No" Lex said starting to turn just a bit pink.

"Oh" Clark said before staring at his now empty cup. Before with Lex things were much easier than they were now, now Clark had an ex-boyfriend who was abusive, children and everyday issues.

"So" Clark and Lex said at the same time, before laughing and breaking the tension that was between the two.

"You first" Lex said hoping that there was something that they could talk about so that he could stay longer.

"How do you like Smallville?" Clark asked wondering if Lex would lie to him or not.

"It's…interesting" Lex said trying to put to words what he felt about Smallville.

"I will give you that" Clark said a smile on his face at some of the town's people.

"It's getting better though" Lex said staring Clark right in the face, trying to convey that Clark was the reason. Clark blushed under Lex's gaze but was glad that he was at least part of the reason for Lex almost liking his stay. Soon both began to talk about life in Smallville for Clark and what happened with the Kents adopting him, no mention of the reason as to why the McBride's disowned Clark, but Lex was sort of getting an idea. It was in the wee hours of the morning that Clark began to yawn, tired from the days activities.

"I think that is my cue to leave" Lex said sad that he was leaving the house.

"You can crash in the guest bedroom if you like." Clark said while standing up and stretching, giving Lex the perfect view of his abs as the shirt rode up a bit. Lex had to bite back a moan at the view, no one had compared with Clark's body and now here it was taunting him.

"I would like that" Lex said after a moment.

"Great, follow me" Clark said walking up the stairs and showing Lex the guest bedroom that was to be his for the night.

"Night" Clark said through a yawn again, he knew he would paying for staying up this late when the twins came bouncing into his room only a few hours later.

"Good night" Lex said before Clark closed the door and went to his own room. The next morning at 7 AM, Lex was woken up by squealing that was coming from down the hall.

"Daddy, stooooooop" a boy's voice said making Lex smile at the fun that Clark and their children were having. Lex had to pull up short of that one, 'since when are they my children?' Lex questioned himself, since it seemed no answer was forthcoming Lex made his way out and into the hallway to see what was going on that had the boy squealing. As he arrived to the master bedroom door, he saw a shirtless Clark tickling Zaiden while Arianna tried to stay out of tickling distance.

"Am I interrupting?" Lex said standing at the door in only his pants.

"No" Clark said before looking up and seeing the state of undress Lex was in.

"Come play" Arianna said patting a spot on the bed. Lex shot a questioning look and Clark only nodded his head with a huge smile on his face. Lex smiled and made his way over to play. It was two hours later that all four managed to get out of bed and ready for the day.

"Bye" Clark said standing at the front door waving, while Zaiden and Arianna stood next to him waving as well. Lex stood in front of Clark and with no conscious thought kissed Clark on the lips quickly before making his way to the car.

"Bye" Clark said one more time before touching his lips and smiling a huge smile that many hadn't seen for years.

"He kissed me" Clark mumbled under his breath as he scooted the twins into the kitchen for breakfast.

"Daddy, I like Mr. Lex" Arianna said with Zaiden nodding his head in agreement.

"Daddy likes Mr. Lex a lot too" Clark said getting out the pan to make pancakes.

"Yay! PANNYCAKES!" Zaiden yelled before going over to the refrigerator to help gather ingredients with the help of his sister. Breakfast was soon done and eaten by two very hungry children. Once Clark dropped the twins off at the main house with Martha, he made his way over to the crops that needed to be finished collected. It was a startled Clark that Whitney grabbed.

"What do you think you were doing having that Luthor in _our_ house?" Whitney said anger very much evident in his voice. Clark didn't know what to say that would calm Whitney down, but he knew the truth wouldn't work.

"The twins wanted him to stay" Clark said hoping that this would at least sort of calm him down.

"That Luthor shouldn't have been with them period, I saw him with you at the fair. Why were you avoiding me?" Whitney said shaking Clark by the arm, making Clark wince in pain.

"We aren't together and he asked" Clark knew that was the wrong thing to say as soon as he saw Whitney draw back a fist aiming it at Clark's face.

"Stop" Clark stuttered out but it was of no use due to the blow landing anyway.

"You will always be mine you slut, and don't you ever forget it." Whitney said raining blows down on Clark's body. Soon enough it seemed as if Whitney was growing tired of beating Clark and came up with another idea that had him grinning evilly. Clark saw the look and soon began to fight back as best he could with Whitney.

"Hold still it won't hurt too much" Whitney said before laughing and then tearing at Clark's clothes.

"Noooo" Clark said fighting back.

"Well, if you could give it up to him last night, then you have no problem giving it up to me. To think you made me wait all that time saying you weren't ready. Did he pay you is that why you gave it up?" Whitney said through a punch to the temple of Clark's head, making Clark dizzy. It was after a moment that Clark tried to fight against Whitney and the dizziness that Clark sort of blacked out. He could see and hear Whitney, but it was almost as if he was far away. Whitney soon noticed that Clark stopped and began to wonder what was going on.

"Not going to fight?" Whitney asked and then noticed that Clark's eyes were sort of glazed.

"Clark" Whitney called out, but got no response. It was then that he began to panic.

"What do I do? What did I do?" Whitney questioned wondering on if he should run a way or stay and make sure that Clark got to the main house. He decided the first since he knew Martha didn't have a problem with using a gun on him, due to the threat she made when she had seen the state Clark was in the first time he'd beaten Clark. It was four hours later that Clark was woken up from the sleep like state he was in by his cell phone ringing and vibrating on his thigh.

"Hello" Clark croaked out due to his mouth being exceptionally dry.

"Clark?" Came the worried voice of Lex through the phone.

"Yeah" Clark said before coughing a bit to get his mouth wet again.

"Where are you? I'm on my way" Lex said and Clark could hear him walking through the plant as he made his way to his car.

"Its okay" Clark said coughing again and then wanting to throw up.

"You don't sound okay, so where are you?" Lex said worried now.

"Out in the fields on the property; the ones closest to Cabin eleven."

"Good, I'll be there in a few minutes." Lex said before starting the car and speeding out of the plant parking lot.

"How did you get this number?"

"Your mom gave it to me when I called the main house earlier, she said you were out but had your cell phone with you."

"Okay" Clark said before laying back down due to the dizziness overwhelming him. It was twenty minutes later that a suit dressed Lex made his way over to the beaten and bloodied Clark.

"What the hell happened to you?" Lex said before crouching on the ground and touching Clark's bruised face. Clark flinched from the contact, but soon leaned into the touch that Lex was giving him.

"Clark" Lex said holding Clark's face in his hands. He had a feeling he knew what had happened but he wanted to be completely sure before he ruined the boy.

"Whitney" was all Clark could say before be broke down and began to cry.

"Did he….." Lex said leaving the sentence for Clark to figure out.

"No, he hit me in the temple and after that I sort of stopped struggling then so he stopped when he noticed that." Clark said looking up at Lex's face wanting Lex to really care about him.

"I'll kill him" Lex said helping Clark stand up and making their way to Clark's house as opposed to the main house. His children didn't need to see him like this, only cleaned up. Once they arrived the house, Lex let them in and sat Clark down on the couch as he got supplies to put Clark back together for the time being. He had a feeling that Clark would need to go to the hospital due to being hit in the temple, but that would be after he cleaned Clark up.

"Here we go" Lex said rising a small bowl of warm water and a washcloth to clean up Clark. Once Lex was done Clark went upstairs to his room to change into something clean and in tact.

"Clark" Lex said running a hand across Clark's cheek before stepping back and grabbing Clark's hand to make him follow Lex to the main house to alert Martha that Clark would be going to the hospital for a check up. He never really noticed that he intertwined his fingers with Clark's, but Clark did and smiled a soft smile at the gesture.

"Lex….Clark!" Martha yelled as he got a good look at her son.

"What happened? No don't tell me, Whitney" Martha said with a sneer on her face that was making Lex wonder if the woman truly possessed some sort of "scary mother" power, for he was even a bit hesitant to continue holding Clark's hand. Clark on the other hand just nodded his head and tightened his hold on Lex's hand.

"Does he really think he is getting away with this? Clark you look horrible and this is after a clean up, what was it this time? You looked at a magazine that had a guy on it, or is it that you spoke to your father too long? I swear!" Martha said before noticing the linked hands and then she began to sort of have an idea.

"He saw Lex, the twins and I at the fair together. I guess that was too much" Clark said seeing his mother's face light up with glee due to the hands being held.

"Clark" Lex said making Clark tell her that they were going to the hospital and the reason why.

"He hit me in the temple and I have been dizzy ever since, so Lex is making me go to the hospital." Clark said mock glaring at the other man, which made Martha grin all the more.

"Well shoo. The twins and I are right behind you. I have to call your father first; we are going to make life for Whitney Fordman hell." Martha said picking up the phone and walking to the living room where the twins were playing and watching TV. Lex and Clark watched as she disappeared before making their way to Lex's car that was parked in the drive. The short ride to the hospital was made with Clark sitting quietly in the passenger seat of the car while Lex held onto his hand as much as he could while he drove. Once they arrived they both entered the Smallville Memorial Hospital Emergency Room.

"Clark" Elise screamed looking at the state that Clark was in. She knew that Clark was abused by Whitney Fordman, every one that worked with Dr. Jonathan Kent in his office knew that Clark was in an abusive relationship with Whitney Fordman. They of course could do nothing since their was the patient/doctor privilege which made speaking up hard to do; even so when you saw Clark in as bad a shape as he was in, it was enough to make their hearts hurt for the young man.

"Hey Elise" Clark said waving to her before swaying slightly which caused Elise to notice who brought Clark here.

"Mr. Luthor!" She said surprised, she had heard from the town's gossip that Alexander Luthor had his sights set on Lana Lang. If the look he was giving Clark was any sort of indication then, she would have to say that they had it all wrong.

"Can we get him in a room?" Lex said holding Clark up until he could balance himself out.

"Yes, right this way" Elise said before looking around the ER's waiting room and the empty chairs. Elise guided Lex and Clark to the first bank of beds where there were monitors hooked up.

"Here's a hospital gown, you know what to do" Elise said smirking a bit at Clark due to Lex sitting the chair in the room and not taking his eyes off of Clark.

"Thanks Elise" Clark said blushing as she winked when she closed the door behind her.

"Umm" Clark said taking the gown in his hands and sort of playing with it. Lex just watched Clark and then realized that Clark was a bit embarrassed to be changing in front of him.

"Would you like me to leave?"

"Oh, ummm no I'm good" Clark said taking off his shirt and hissing in pain due to the cut that was starting to bleed again on his shoulder.

"Looks like you might need some stitches there" Lex said helping Clark get into the gown.

"Great" Clark said after pulling off his jeans and folding them with his shirt into a pile that Lex grabbed to take care of. A knock was heard and then Jonathan came in.

"Son I heard what happened" Jonathan said looking at his son and noticing that there was something different about him. He looked around the room to see what was causing the change and saw Lex Luthor sitting in a chair looking at Clark with an expression that one would never think was possible on a Luthor - love.

"You going to patch me up?" Clark asked wondering on if his father was up to cleaning him up.

"Nah, I'm going to have Dr. Johnson to do it. He'll be in soon." Jonathan said before the door was opened again and in walked Martha with the twins.

"Daddy!" Zaiden and Arianna yelled before running over to where Clark sat on the bed.

"Zai, Aria" Clark said picking them both up and wincing in pain.

"Clark, why did you do that?" Lex said standing up and checking Clark over. Martha and Jonathan both watched as Lex fussed with Clark and the twins until Dr. Devin Johnson came in.

"Clark" the doctor said in greeting.

"Hey Doc Johnson" Clark said putting Zaiden back down while Lex put Arianna down and they sat next to him.

"Well, let's get a good look at you" the doctor said closing the curtain and checking over Clark. Once he finished he threw the curtain back and gave his assessment.

"He seems to be knocked up pretty badly and he will for sure need stitches on his shoulder and cheek, but besides that he will be bruised for a good bit. I want someone to watch him through the night due to the blow on the temple. If there are any problems he is to come back here ASAP, got it? I'm going to get the suture supplies." With that the doctor left and then came back a short time later. Once Clark was stitched up, he made his way to the parking lot with his mom, dad, Lex and the twins. Lex was still there holding onto Clark's hand as if when he let go Clark would disappear again.

"Clark" Lex said standing in front of the hospital wanting to go with the group back the farm and take care of Clark.

"Mom, I'm going to ride back with Lex since the Vue looks full" Clark said due to his father riding with his mom.

"That's fine" Martha said while pulling Jonathan away due to him wanting to "talk" to Lex about Clark, and what he would do to Lex if he hurt Clark in anyway. Lex's face lit up with a soft smile because Clark would be with him on the drive back. Maybe he would talk the Kent's into letting him stay and watch Clark, with that thought Lex unlocked the doors to the car and got in waiting for Clark to get in.

"See you in a bit" Clark said before kissing the twins and then getting in the car for the ride back to the farm. There was silence for a few minutes as Lex drove and Clark looked out the window, deciding on whether he wanted to tell Lex about the twins or not.

"Are you okay?" Lex broke the silence with, he hadn't wanted to ask such a stupid question but he didn't know what else to ask about.

"Yeah, just thinking is all" Clark said now making a decision to hold off on telling Lex, just so that either the twins or himself wouldn't get burned if something bad were to happen.

"Can I ask what about?" Lex asked wanting to carry a conversation with Clark now.

"About what I am going to do about Whitney" Clark said with a shudder going through his body. Clark chanced a glance at Lex and saw pure fury on the other man's face, and he had to wonder what Lex was going to do to Whitney.

"Don't worry about it Clark, I will take care of it" Lex said tightening his hands on the wheel of the car.

"Now don't go and get arrested" Clark said with a small smile due to Lex thinking about revenge for him.

"A Luthor never dirties their hands" Lex said with a smirk on his face, as they drove through downtown and noticed that Lana seemed to be waving Lex's car down.

"Now what does _she_ want?" Lex mumbled under his breath as he pulled off to the parking slot in front of the Talon.

"Lex, so glad to have caught you" Lana said breathless due to the coldness in the air.

"Ms. Lang" Lex said with his window down. Lana peered in and got a scowl on her face before she spoke again.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out Friday night, maybe to a movie" Lana said now eyeing Clark as he looked at Lana with his eyes widening when he saw who it was.

"Shit" Clark swore under his breath, he knew for a fact that Lana would call Whitney the minute she was done talking to Lex and tell him that Clark had been in the older man's car.

"I'm sorry Ms. Lang, but I already have a prior engagement then" Lex said looking at Lana with his eyes filled with non-concern.

"Oh I see" Lana said eyeing Clark even more now.

"It was worth a try, maybe some other time" Lana said as be backed away from the car.

"Some other time" Lex said before putting up the window and speeding away from where Lana stood.

"Clark you all right?" Lex asked as they made their way out of the downtown area.

"No, she is going to tell Whitney that I was in the car with you."

"Don't worry about it, I will take care of it all" Lex said his voice taking on a decidedly colder tone.

"I have to worry about it. That Friday she is talking about; my parents are going to be out of town. That is the only thing keeping Whitney off the property most of the time, and with them gone I am screwed once again." Clark said in near panic attack mode.

"Then you will just stay at the castle with me for the weekend" Lex said as if that was the simple answer to give.

"I couldn't do that to you" Clark said already trying to figure out a way to keep Whitney away from him.

"It's fine Clark, honestly it would liven the castle up. You and the twins would be welcomed, I know Chef would love to cook for more than just me" Lex said hoping that Clark wouldn't fight too much to stay with him.

"Only if you are sure" Clark said hesitant, yet excited about staying with Lex. He knew nothing would really happen, but just becoming Lex's friend now was a step in the right direction.

"Positive" Lex said as they finished making their way back to the farm.

"Daddy, Mr. Lex" Arianna and Zaiden both said as Clark and Lex walked through the front door of the main house.


	16. Act XVI:  A Step in the Right Direction

_Act XVI: A Step in the Right Direction_

"Aria, Zai" Clark said before bending down and then having the stuffing hugged out of him by his children.

"We worried" Arianna said doing the talking for both of them.

"I know" Clark said tears coming to his eyes for worrying his children so.

"I was worried too" Lex said with a small smile on his face when Arianna grinned at him.

"See" Arianna said pointing to Lex and then looking to her father for acceptance that they were all worried.

"I do" Clark said looking at Lex with an emotion that he couldn't decipher. By the time that the Kents and Lex had settled down into the house, there came a knock on the door.

"Who could that be?" Martha asked both Clark and Lex, since she knew that most of the town was in bed by now.

"Chloe" Clark said certain that there was only one person that would be stupid enough to come over at this time of night.

"She does tend to work on a different schedule" Lex agreed and had to smirk when Martha rolled her eyes at the pair.

"Chloe" Martha pleasant voice said as he greeted the young woman at the door.

"Martha… is Clark here?"

"Sure" Martha said and then making her way into the living room where they were with a sleeping Arianna and Zaiden.

"Clark" Chloe said with a gasp and then a smirk on her face. She wondered how long it would take the two of them to get together.

"Chloe" Lex and Clark said at the same time, and then smiling to each other.

"Truly sappy" Chloe said sarcastically.

"Jealous" Lex said before wondering on why Chloe would be paying the Kent's a visit so late.

"Ms. Sullivan is there a reason for your visit?"

"Heard Lana telling Whitney about a certain Kent being in a certain car while she asked a certain bald man for a date or something like that, wasn't listening after I heard that Clark was in the car." Chloe said with a tilt to her head, Lex and Clark both knew the look well. It was the beginning of her interrogation and the answers given had better be answered to her specifications or there would bugging by her and that was never a good thing.

"And the new look?" Chloe said turning to Clark for an explanation.

"Whitney" was all Clark was willing to say about what had happened.

"Gotcha" Chloe said with her eyes narrowing at the name of Whitney, she had thought that she had warned him about if he messed with Clark again. Chloe took a closer look at Clark and could see that Whitney had done a job on her friend and she was now ready to do battle with the blonde boy for touching her friend.

"Well, it's late and I have plenty to do tomorrow, so I will just leave, but I will see you both tomorrow." Chloe said over her shoulder and she made her way to the front door. Both Jonathan and Martha watched as Chloe left still never really understanding the girl in question.

"Is she….." Jonathan said leaving the sentence hanging due to the lack of words to describe her.

"Always" both Clark and Lex said before laughing together at answering the same way. After Jonathan and Martha had left the room, Lex looked at his watch to see that is was quite late and that he should head back to the castle even though he didn't want to.

"I better be off" Lex said standing up and then smoothly down his non-wrinkled pants.

"You could stay" Clark said with a blush to his cheeks, he didn't want for Lex to go, but felt like a complete dork for asking Lex to stay again.

"I should be off" Lex said before turning around and making his way to the door. When he did so he did not notice the look that came over Clark's face, it was that of sadness and understanding of not wanting to be near him any longer.

"Oh" Clark said trying to keep his voice from breaking, so that Lex wouldn't know that he was hurt.

"I'll see you tomorrow" Lex said while standing at the door looking at Clark before leaving. As Lex left he felt as if he had missed something, but for the life of him couldn't figure out what.

"Yeah, whatever" Clark said to the closed door before the first tear rolled down his face. Clark then walked into the living room again and looked over his two children, which were his life.

"Even your father wants nothing to do with me" Clark whispered to the twins before putting a blanket over both of them and then laying on the floor next to the couch just in case either would need him during the night. It was then that Clark allowed the tears to flow freely. It had been nice to have someone care besides Chloe and his parents, but he knew now that wasn't the case. They may have not been best friends or even really friends, but it had still felt nice when Lex had held his hands as if he was the most important person in the room. Clark smiled sadly before closing his eyes once again to try and get some sleep. Clark fell asleep with the thought on avoiding Lex as much as possible from now on, his heart hurt from the rejection, but he wasn't going to put himself or his children on the line again. The next morning Martha stood in the door way watching her son and grandchildren as they played before eating. She could tell there was something different about Clark than there had been last night, but she couldn't quite figure it out yet.

"Clark" Was heard from the front door where Chloe stood with a bag on her shoulder and a smile on her face.

"Hey Chloe" Clark said letting her in and then sitting back down while Arianna and Zaiden jumped over their "aunt Chloe" as she sat next to Clark. She too could see that something was different with Clark, and it wasn't something good.

"You all right?" Chloe said watching as a haunted look came over Clark's face.

"Fine, why?" Clark said lying to Chloe about how he was feeling.

"Clark you know me better than that, I know you are lying; what is going on? Where's Lex?" With those words the look that came over Clark's face, Chloe knew that whatever was going on dealt with the Luthor heir.

"At the castle I assume, and I am fine. A bit sore, but that is expected" Clark said smiling sadly at Chloe because he knew she would get the double meaning of his answer.

"Sore emotionally or physically?" Chloe said reading Clark like a book.

"Chloe" Clark said shocked that Chloe could see what sort of pain he was in.

"What happened?" Chloe said wanting to know whether or not her smear campaign would have to now include Lex.

"Nothing"

"And that is the problem?" Chloe said waiting for an answer.

"No" Clark said knowing now that he might as well tell Chloe what was going on since she wouldn't stop until she knew.

"So tell me"

"It was late by the time you left and well I was worried about Le…Mr. Luthor driving home so I offered for him to stay here."

"And let me guess - he declined stating something about needing to be home." Chloe said shaking her head when Clark nodded his head in agreement.

"Clark" Chloe started to say but was cut off by Clark.

"Just forget about it, so I thought that there might have been something. I was wrong and now I just want to move on." Clark said standing up and making his way into the kitchen where the twins had ran off as soon as they smelled food coming from there.

"Clark that wasn't what I was going to say" Chloe started only to stop the conversation to eat breakfast with the Kent's. After the meal was finished, Clark took the twins and Chloe to his house so that he could clean up the mess that was there and then get started on finishing off harvesting the fall crop before making a couple of deliveries for the day.

"Clark, maybe he had a reason" Chloe said now wondering on what Lex was thinking leaving Clark alone the way that he had and after what had just happened early that day with Whitney.

"Whatever" Clark mumbled as he made his way over to kitchen sink in his house to do the dishes that sat in the sink.

"Clark listen to me, Lex never does anything without reason" Chloe knew the moment that exited her mouth that it was the wrong thing to say.

"Well, his reason is probably because I am a sullied and abused person, who would want that?" Clark said his voice taking on the quality of a child asking if an adult really liked something. He so hoped that it was the case of Lex having something to be at in the morning and needed to stay at the castle, but Clark wouldn't bet on it. 

"I don't think that about you, and I am certain that Lex doesn't either" Chloe said now more than ready to go to battle for Clark with Lex. If Lex didn't see what a great and amazing person Clark was she was going to have to beat it into him.

"Are you sure?" Clark said hope coloring his words now.

"I may not know it for a fact, but he does care about you, whenever I see him he rambles on and on about how you visited the castle today and said hi to him or something sappy like that. If that doesn't say like then I don't know what else does." Chloe said smiling now because of the look on Clark's face. It was one of pure joy, and Chloe couldn't wait to see if the same look would come over Lex's face if he knew that Clark cared about him.

"You think?" Clark said now making his way back to the living room where the twins sat playing on the floor.

"I know so" Chloe said before her cell phone went off to the theme of Super Mario Brothers, there was only one person that this ring tone was set for and that was Lex.

"Sullivan" Chloe answered the phone looking around the house for some where to speak with Lex without Clark hearing her.

"Chloe" Lex said on the other side of the line.

"Give me a second" Chloe said before telling Clark that she had to take the call and that she would see them later.

"With Clark?" Lex asked interested on why Chloe would be over at Clark's so early in the morning.

"Yeah, by the looks of him last night I think he needed someone to be here for him." Chloe said her voice just a bit harder than it had been before.

"Oh" Lex said and that is what amazed Chloe. Lex was never one to be without words and here he was with an answer of "oh".

"Cat got your tongue?" Chloe said smirking at the phone as she stood outside of Clark's house looking ahead of her and to a car that looked to be coming toward the house behind her. As the car got closer Chloe's eyes narrowed even more.

"Fordman" Chloe said not even realizing that Lex was still on the other end. When he heard those words the phone line went dead, but Chloe didn't notice because she had already hung up the phone and was now standing in front of the house with her hands on her hips. 'Oh he isn't getting anywhere near them.' Chloe thought watching as the car sped to a stop in front of where Chloe stood on the porch.

"Chloe" Whitney said with a grimace on his face, he had hoped to get Clark alone to "explain" what had happened, but with her here it would be difficult, but not impossible.

"Fordman" Chloe said wondering on what Whitney had to say for him self this time about beating Clark.

"Clark here?" Whitney said before making his way up the porch to go and see if Clark was there.

"Don't worry about that" Chloe said as she stepped in front of him.

"Get out of my way" Whitney said pushing Chloe aside before knocking on the door. It was then that Chloe grabbed Whitney's arms and began speaking to him.

"Fordman, it would do you good to stay away from Clark and his children."

"What are you going to do?" Whitney said with a scowl on his face, he hated that Clark even spoke with the girl, but he would change that as soon as he had Clark back in his arms where he needed to be.

"Oh I don't know I have some really pretty pictures" Chloe said smile on her face as he paled a bit.

"No one will believe you" Whitney said smug in the thought that he had the town of Smallville wrapped around his finger.

"Oh I think the people in the emergency room that put Clark back together would" Chloe said before hearing another car make its way toward them. It was then that Clark answered the door.

"Whitney" Clark stuttered, as he looked through the screen door at Whitney's face.

"Clark, I need to talk to you privately" Whitney said before scowling yet again at Chloe and her presence, when Clark noticed where Whitney was looking he had to breathe just a bit of relief.

"I don't think that will be possible Mr. Fordman" a new voice said.

"Lex" Clark said shocked that Lex had shown back up, he had been hopeful with Chloe's words but was feeling even more strongly about what she had said now that Lex was there. He may really have had a good reason for going to the castle last night.

"Mr. Luthor" Whitney said glaring at the other man, since he was the reason that all of this began. If Clark would have just been a good boy and did as he was told there wouldn't have been this issue. Chloe and Clark watched the two and had to wonder on how maimed Whitney would come out of this fight.

"I need to speak with Clark" Whitney said glaring at Lex.

"And I told you that won't be possible, the last time you wanted to talk to Clark he ended up in the emergency room. I must say I am not agreeable to that type of talking." Lex said making Whitney understand that if he was going to do anything it would be leaving the property.

"Clark can make his own decisions" Whitney said crossing his arms across his chest to show off his muscles.

"That he can, but I am going to have to make this decision for him." Lex said now stepping closer to Whitney. It was at this time that Clark finally spoke up.

"Lex it's okay" Clark said coming to stand next to Chloe on the porch. It was then that Whitney threw Lex a triumphant look.

"Clark" Lex said with worry in his eyes, he did not want Clark any where near Whitney.

"No, it's okay" Clark said now standing next to the two of them.

"We'll be just a minute" Clark said as he made his way toward Whitney's car. Chloe on the other hand went in the house to watch the twins and Lex stood on the porch watching from afar.

"Clark, what is he doing here?" Whitney said trying to sound hurt and not angry and jealous.

"He is here because he wants to be, I didn't call him" Clark said now confident that Whitney wouldn't try anything while Lex and Chloe were there.

"Clark" Whitney sort of whined, trying to make Clark understand that he wanted to talk to him privately.

"Whitney, look it's over, you and I are through. We were through when you decided to raise your hand to my child; if you cared about me at all you would have known that." Clark said his voice rising with just the thought of seeing Whitney with his hand raised at Arianna. He didn't want to even think about what he would have done to Whitney had the blow landed. Clark didn't realize how loud he had gotten, so when Lex marched over to the pair a minute after he spoke the words about Arianna both were shocked.

"Get. Off. This. Property!" Lex said raging that the man, no boy would dare raise a hand to Arianna or Zaiden. He hadn't known them long, but he already loved them. There just something about them that made him want to be the perfect dad to the two even though they had Clark.

"You can't make me" Whitney said about ready to punch Lex when Chloe, Arianna and Zaiden came running out the door.

"Daddy, Mr. Lex" Arianna and Zaiden said before jumping into the two's arms. Whitney sneered at the pair and then said words that would haunt Clark for a good while.

"Did you give it up to him? Oh, I bet you did….you whore! No one would want some freak like you, not even him." It was with those words that Whitney spun around to go to his car when he was spun around and punched in the face.

"What the hell!" Whitney yelled and noticed the smug look on Chloe's face while she rubbed her knuckles.

"You hit me!" Whitney said shocked now because a girl had decked him.

"That I did, and I would suggest you leave if you don't want to me do it again."

"You, you! Got a girl fighting your battles, whore?" Whitney said before being punched in the face again but this time by Lex.

"Don't you ever say anything like that again, or I will show you pain." Lex said with pure fury in his eyes. Whitney saw that if he wanted to leave with his ego and body intact that he should make a retreat and plan for another time to "talk" with Clark.

"Fine" Whitney said and then whispered into Clark's ear as he passed.

"This isn't over" Clark could only shutter at the words. After Whitney had left, Clark turned to Chloe and Lex with a look of shame on his face.

"Clark" Chloe started out, only to be cut off by Clark.

"Thanks" Clark said before grabbing Aria and Zai's hands and walking back in the house leaving Chloe and Lex stunned at Clark's attitude change.

"What just happened here?" Lex asked Chloe, due to her knowing Clark longer.

"Your guess is as good as mine" Chloe said eyeing the door to the house and deciding that Lex needed to be the one to help Clark through the words that Whitney had thrown at him.

"Well, I gotta go and smear someone, take care of them" Chloe said before leaving and getting into her car to go and get an article ready about Whitney Fordman that would set the town on its head. Lex stood until he couldn't see Chloe's car before making his way in the house, and what he saw about broke his heart. For there sitting on the floor was Clark, Arianna and Zaiden. Clark sat crying with both Arianna and Zaiden comforting their father.

"Daddy it be okay" Zaiden said patting Clark's tear-stained face.

"Zaiden tell the truth" Arianna said before looking at Lex for help with their father.

"Clark" Lex said coming over and sitting on the floor with them.

"Lex" Clark said surprised that Lex had stayed.

"Can I talk to your daddy alone for a minute?" Lex asked the twins, with a nod they left the room to go and wait for daddy and Mr. Lex to finish talking.

"Clark, look at me" Lex said worried that Clark actually believed the words that had come from the blonde boy's mouth. Clark only shook his head no, before Lex put two fingers under Clark's chin to make him look at Lex.

"Clark, don't listen to what he says" Lex started only to be cut off by Clark.

"I am a whore; I led him on and didn't give him anything. I deserved everything I got" Clark said knowing in his heart that the words he spoke were true.

"Clark, no you are not" Lex said wondering on how he could make Clark understand that what the blonde boy had said was wrong. Clark so wanted to believe Lex, but he knew that Lex was only saying that to save face for walking into the situation.

"Clark" Lex said as he got closer to the other man in the room, he just couldn't think of any other way to help Clark than to show him what real love felt like. It was with this thought in mind that Lex connected his lips to that of Clark's. For the first few moments Lex thought that he had done the wrong thing and was about to pull back when Clark began to respond slowly. They soon pulled away with air became an issue.

"Clark, you are none of those things that Fordman says about you. You are the most amazing person I know, you have two kids who adore you, family that also adores you and I am pretty sure that most of this town adores you. And if it is worth anything I adore you." Lex said with a tint of pink to his cheeks, he had just admitted to Clark that he had feelings for the other man he only hopped that Clark had feelings for him as well.

"I….I….Really" Clark asked amazed that not only had Lex said he adored him but he also seemed to be speaking the truth about the feelings of others. This made Clark begin to feel a bit better, right up until he remembered that Lex wouldn't adore him for too much longer once he told Lex that the twins were his.

"Lex" Clark said pulling away from Lex just a bit; to now break the news about the twins.

"Yes?" Lex responded wondering why Clark looked as if he was about to cry again.

"I….I have something to tell you" Clark said building up some sort of wall so that when Lex began to spew words of his evilness he would at least be able to handle it for a bit of time.

"Clark" Lex said worried now because of the look on Clark's face.

"Lex…do you know what Olanwsky's Syndrome is?" Clark said while searching Lex's face for any sort of disgust.

"Of course, that is a genetic condition that allows males to become pregnant" Lex said eyeing Clark now more closely as the other man began to sort of squirm around.

"Yeah, you're right" Clark said now trying to think of how to say the next part to Lex. It was during the silence that Lex put two and two together, although he didn't get all of the details right.

"The twins, you had them…You have Olanwsky's" Lex said shock written all over his face.

"Yeah I did, I do" Clark said now looking at the floor that he sat on.

"But there is a reason you are telling me this" Lex said now waiting for Clark to finish telling him the whole story. He was pretty certain that the children weren't Whitney's but one could never be too sure.

"They're yours" Clark blurted out before staring at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Mine" Lex repeated back to Clark and only got a nod of the dark haired head.

"You mean I have children with you" Lex said and it was those words and the way they were said that made Clark decide that telling Lex about the twins parentage was the worst idea, and that Whitney really was right about him. Tears began to form in Clark's eyes and he knew that he didn't want to be anywhere near Lex when he began to cry, so he stood up and made his way into the kitchen where the twins stood looking at their daddy in sadness.

"Daddy sad" Zaiden said before both he and Arianna's hands were grabbed by Clark to take them outside going through the kitchen. Lex, on the other hand, sat for all of three seconds before the words and feeling kicked in, he had a family with the one person he had wanted since high school. When he looked around the house he noticed that it was very quiet for Clark, Arianna and Zaiden to be the house with him.

"Clark" Lex called out before standing and making his way over to the kitchen where he could see the backs of the three in question making their way toward the front of the house.

"Oh no you don't Clark Kent" Lex said to himself as he made his way through the house and down the porch to meet up with Clark and the twins.

"Clark" Lex yelled as he ran out of the house and up to the group that now stood rooted to the spot next to Clark's truck.

"What, what, what" Clark said before dropping the hands of the twins and wiping his face of the tears that were flowing.

"I'm sorry for what I said" Lex said thinking back to the way that he had stated the news that Clark had given him. He was shocked yes, but he was also right now the happiest man on the face of the Earth. He had a family, and all he had to do was now try and explain his reaction to Clark.

"Look I understand, I understand perfectly. There is no need for you to apologize" Clark said looking at the ground.

"Clark look at me" Lex said stepping closer to Clark when he got no reaction.

"Clark" Lex called again softly this time, before lifting Clark's chin with his fingers again.

"I have a family" was the only thing that Lex said before bringing his lips to met that of Clark's. The kiss shocked Clark, so when Lex drew back thinking what he had done was in error Clark began to kiss back for all he was worth. The man that had given him his children wanted not only him but their children as well.

"Mine" Lex said as he pulled away to get air into his lungs. Clark only nodded his head in agreement. He had always been Lex's but now they both knew it.

"Yours" Clark said shyly, hoping that this wasn't a joke and that Lex really did want him and the children.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Lex said now stepping back and grabbing hold of the twin's hands before they started to walk back into the house.

"I tried to tell you" Clark said before opening the door and then walking in behind the three that had already entered.

"You did?"

"Yeah, that e-mail I wrote you. At that time I found out about Chloe knowing you, and I thought that you should know your children so I wrote to see what your response was" Clark said sadly as he thought about Lex's e-mail. The four of them spent the rest of the day getting to know each other, it would take some time for the four to be a real family, but they were on the right path. What they didn't know was that Whitney Fordman was willing to do anything to get Clark back and away from his children and Lex.

Friday rolled around and Clark had been getting more and more nervous as his parents got ready to go to Metropolis for a weekend away from the farm.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Martha asked Clark for the fifth time in the last ten minutes.

"Yes" Clark said telling a lie to his mother, because he knew that they needed to have time to themselves.

"Clark" Martha said with warning in her voice.

"Look mom, if anything goes wrong, I'll call you. Deal?" Clark said wondering on if he could take Lex up on the invitation for the three of them to stay at the castle for the weekend.

"Well" Martha started out only to have Jonathan cut in and answered.

"That is fine, but if you think that Whitney is around you call someone in town at least, okay?" Jonathan said while gabbing his wife's hand and dragging her to the truck so that they could get on the road to Metropolis.

"Okay, have a good time" Clark said waving to the two with Arianna and Zaiden waving as well. Once Clark couldn't see the truck any longer he began to walk around the house to make sure that most of the windows and doors were locked. It was in mid-check that the phone rang.

"Hello" Clark answered the phone, the voice on the other side made Clark pale.

"Clark, home alone" Whitney said with an evil sounding voice.

"Leave me alone" Clark said trying to stay strong and not bend to Whitney's words.

"I can't do that, love" Whitney said in a mocking tone of voice.

"Don't call me that" Clark said getting scared for both himself and his children. He was still pretty beaten up and he didn't know if he would be able to fight with Whitney again so soon.

"Honey, I know there shall be dinner waiting for me when I get there" Whitney said before hanging up. It was then that Clark decided to take his father's advice and call someone.

"Luthor" Lex barked into the phone due to not knowing the phone number that came up.

"Lex" Clark said with his voice shaking.

"Clark!" Lex said shocked that Clark sounded so scared.

"He's coming" Clark said before hanging up the phone due to hearing a car door.

"Clark!" Lex yelled again before barking out orders to the staff at the castle. After the orders had been passed out, Lex made his way over to the farm. What met him was Whitney choking Clark while his two children yelled and cried for their daddy.

"Let. Go. Of. Him" Lex growled out, he was tired of his "boy" messing with his family.

"Luthor, what are you going to do about it?" Whitney said laughing while squeezing Clark's neck harder.

"Kill you" Lex stated flatly before punching Whitney in the face. Clark was released while Whitney grabbed his face in amazement. He was just about to punch Clark when all of them heard sirens.

"Too little too late" Whitney said grinning before making himself cry. The sheriff pulled up and saw the scene and began to wonder what in the world was going on. She had gotten a call from Lex Luthor saying that Clark Kent was being attacked by Whitney Fordman, but by the looks of things there was no attacking, but there was something going on.

"Gentlemen" she said to the three gathered. As she got closer she could see bruises forming on Clark's neck.

"You all right there?" She asked Clark wanting to see what he would do and say to the question. Clark looked at both men before shaking his head no and backing away from Whitney as his hand snaked out to grab him.

"Mr. Fordman, keep your hands to your self"

"Yes ma'am" Whitney said glaring at Lex and Clark.

"Clark come with me" she said guiding Clark away from both Lex and Whitney trying to get the story out of Clark. It was ten minutes later that a shocked and angry sheriff came to question Whitney.

"Mr. Fordman if you would come with me" she said with a steel edge to her tone. Whitney could only nod before smiling at the woman and making his way to her car for the ride into town. Once the car had disappeared, Lex pulled Clark into his arms with their children surrounding them.

"Clark come to the castle" Lex said pulling back a bit to look into Clark's eyes. Clark could only nod his head at the request, happy that he would be safe from Whitney for the time being. Once Clark had agreed they made bags for both Arianna and Zaiden for their stay at the castle.

"Welcome home" Enrique said to the group as they made their way into the castle. Clark had to smile at the way that Enrique greeted them, as if there were part of Lex's family.

"Thank you Enrique" Clark answered back before having Arianna and Zaiden start to run around the large castle, looking for their rooms.

"This way to the bedrooms" Enrique said making Arianna and Zaiden stop what they were doing and follow Clark and Lex with Enrique in the lead to the bedrooms. The first door that they arrived to Enrique said: "Mistress Arianna's room." Once he said that there was a giggle from the girl in question and then a blur running by the men in the group to her new room. As she entered the room she about died due to the amount of wrong color in the room.

"I hate pink!" Arianna yelled making Zaiden and Clark laugh. Lex looked at Clark hoping for some kind of help.

"You want to stay with Zai?" Clark said knowing that his daughter would refuse to enter the room as long as it was pink.

"Yes" Arianna said smiling at her brother with the thought of what they would be able to do when they had their own room together.

"Clark?" Lex asked confused, not knowing why Arianna didn't like pink.

"As you can tell Arianna does not like pink" Clark said with a smile on his face over the reason why Arianna didn't like pink.

"Why" Lex asked as they made their way down the hall to the next door.

"Two words for you, Lana Lang" Clark said just as Enrique opened the door to the next room and showed Zaiden and Arianna the room.

"Cool" Zaiden said as he sat on the bed and looked around the room. Clark now began to wonder on if Lex had hoped that they would come by and stay or if he was getting ready for them to be a family.

"What do you say?" Clark said eyeing his two children as they ran around the room now looking at the toys and books that lined the walls of the room.

"Thank you" Zaiden and Arianna both said before going off and picking out books to read, while Lex looked at Clark with a look that Clark couldn't understand quite yet.

"Enrique" Lex said still staring at Clark while he called for the other man.

"Master Lex" Enrique said with a smile on his face.

"Will you watch those two for a few minutes while I show Clark his room?"

"Of course" Enrique said before going over to where the two children now sat reading their books.

"Follow me" Lex said leaving the room with Clark behind him. As they made their way down the hall some more, Clark was shocked to see how much Lex really cared for them.

"Here we are" Lex said with a nervous tone in his voice. Clark opened the door then and gasped at the beauty that was in his room.

"Amazing" Clark said walking into the room and looking around the room.

"My room is across the hall" Lex said wondering if he was moving too fast with Clark or not. Clark could only nod his head before searching the room again, it was while be looked over the room that Zaiden and Arianna came running into the room.

"Daddy" Zaiden and Arianna said at the same time as they jumped on Clark's bed.

"Aria, Zai" Clark said glaring at his children as they bounced around on the bed. As soon as they heard him, they stopped bouncing and sat down.

"What do you want?" Clark asked wondering on if his children had a reason to visit or not.

"Just wanna see your room" Zaiden said before standing up and making his way to look around the room. Arianna on the other hand stood and began to question Lex about items that she had found in Zaiden's room. A few minutes later found the four of them in the dinning room sitting and eating dinner. They were soon interrupted by Enrique.

"Master Lex" Enrique said his face devoid of emotion. One look at his face, and Lex knew that there was about to be some sort of confrontation.

"Enrique" Lex said once he had left the room.

"Mr. Whitney Fordman is here to speak to Master Clark" Enrique said sneering at the man's name at the door.

"Why is he here?" Lex asked no one in particular. Lex made it to the door just in time to hear Whitney on the phone.

"No I told you, I wanted a cabin in the woods for a month! Can't you get anything right?" Lex could only shake his head at the idiot that Whitney was for thinking that Lex wouldn't have any sort of surveillance up at the castle.

"Mr. Fordman" Lex said strolling over to the other man and looking him in the eyes.

"Luthor" Whitney said with a smug smile on his face. If his plan worked Clark would never see neither his family nor Lex Luthor in the near future.

"I wonder what you are doing on my property and with a cell phone in hand no less?" Lex said playing the part of the confused host.

"I came here to speak to Clark" Whitney said jutting out his chin even more than it was before.

"I must have to disagree with you on that." Lex said while watching as Whitney got angry at Lex's words.

"You can't stop me from seeing Clark, now go and get him so that I may talk to him" Whitney said crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't think that will be possible" Lex said getting ready to close the door on Whitney.

"Lex" Clark said as he walked up behind Lex.

"Clark, come here!" Whitney said in a forceful tone of voice.

"No" Clark said before stepping back a bit so that Whitney could not grab him.

"Clark" Whitney said with warning in his tone, that if he didn't not follow his instructions that there would be hell to pay.

"Mr. Fordman I would advise you to leave the property before the sheriff comes to take you off of it." Lex said wondering on how far the boy in front of him would go to get Clark.

"Yeah right" Whitney said now making a move toward Clark, while Clark backed away and into the castle.

"Mr. Fordman this is my last warning, leave" Lex said pushing Clark back just a bit more as Whitney made his way toward the both them. It was at the last minute that Enrique showed up with security for the castle.

"Mr. Luthor is he causing trouble?" One of the two security guards asked Lex.

"I think so, if you could show him off the property" Lex said watching as the two took hold of Whitney and walked him off the property.

"Lex" Clark said in a worried tone, he knew that Whitney wasn't about to give up that easily.

"Clark, let's finish dinner and then we can talk" Lex said taking Clark's hand and walking to the dinning room where the twins sat looking worried.

"We're back" Lex said with a smile on his face, to cover up how angry he really was.

"Good" Arianna said for both herself and her brother. The rest of the dinner went along peacefully. Getting the twins ready for bed was a bit harder, but it was possible once a story was read to them by Clark.

"They're good kids" Lex commented as they stood in the doorway of the room where the twins slept.

"Yeah" Clark said with a happy smile on his face. He had for a while wondered if keeping his kids and getting emancipated was a good situation, but seeing his children everyday more than made the decision for him.

"Clark, something has to be done about Whitney Fordman."

"I know, but I just….I just can't" Clark said not finding the right words to express how afraid of Whitney he really was.

"Clark" Lex said wondering how Clark could be able to not do anything to Whitney.

"It's hard to explain" Clark said looking Lex in the eyes and showing him the fear that he had for Whitney in his eyes.

"I will do something for you then" Lex said closing the subject on Whitney for Clark, but he was cut off by Clark speaking.

"Lex if you do something, please promise me that you will not get hurt. I don't know what I would do if either the twins or you got hurt by Whitney."

"Clark" Lex said moving closer to Clark as they still stood in the doorway of the where Arianna and Zaiden slept.

"You don't have to say anything, just know that I care a lot more than I should." Clark said before turning around and making his way to the room that Lex had allowed him to sleep in. Lex stood stunned at the words that Clark spoke but couldn't help be more excited at the growing possibility of being in a relationship with Clark. He knew that Clark cared, but he just didn't know how much and with that revelation he was even more determined to be with Clark.


	17. Act XVII:The Truth about Whitney Fordman

_Act XVII: The Truth about Whitney Fordman_

If Whitney Fordman was anything it was persistent on getting what he wanted, and what he wanted was Clark Kent. What most didn't know was that behind the "pretty boy jock" facade was a truly twisted mind, and that mind was currently working on how to get Clark Kent not only away from his family, but also away from Lex Luthor.

"You don't take what is mine, Luthor." Whitney said to the night air while he stood across from the Luthor castle fence. Whitney watched as the night guards made their rotations for the better part of two hours before he decided to move in for the kill. It hadn't taken much to get out of police custody, with some clueless expressions and some laying of blame on Lex Luthor. Also once he had been thrown off the property of Luthor castle he made his way back home to gather the items that he would need for this night. He has planned the "breakout" of Clark from his family and friends for years, and it seemed that his chance of being successful was now here.

"You will be mine Clark." Whitney whispered again as he made his move to enter the castle grounds and the castle it's self. Getting onto the grounds was a lot easier than he thought it would be and made him even more confident that Clark would soon be with him in a log cabin that had been in the Fordman family for years, it was on the outskirts of a small town about six hours from Smallville. Whitney was broken out of his thoughts of the cozy scene of Clark and him sitting on the porch watching the sunset in each other's arms when he reached the castle and the back door that he had decided would be the best way in.

"Open, open, open" Whitney said while picking the simple lock that was on the door. It was one of the only doors in the place that had the legacy lock system of the place; all of the other doors had been replaced with hi-tech systems that only allowed certain people into certain rooms.

"Yessss" Whitney said as the locked popped and the door swung open. Whitney looked around to make sure that no one had noticed him and made his way toward the rooms that he thought Lex would have put Clark and the twins in. He sneered at the thought of the twins, they had been a problem from the start but that would all now be taken care of with this little venture. Clark just didn't understand that Whitney was his soul mate and they belonged together. Those children were not a part of their love and so they were no longer a part of the forever equation that was Clark and Whitney. What Whitney didn't know was that there was never a forever equation for them, but the equation was with Lex and had always been with Lex. In all of his thinking Whitney didn't notice that he reached a hallway full of doors that he was certain held his mate. He tried the first four doors and came up with the last door held the twins, which meant that Clark was close by. It was on the sixth door that Whitney found his love.

"Clark" Whitney whispered in awe of the beauty that was Clark asleep. Whitney had never had the pleasure of sleeping with Clark, even if it was just to sleep. Clark had always had a reason to go back home and now watching him sleep; Whitney became jealous and angry about not truly being with his love. After drinking his fill of Clark's shirtless chest he slowly made his way over to the bed with a rag filled with solution that would ensure that Clark would not wake up, if he did Whitney had also brought along a pair of handcuffs and he was quite ready to be able to use them on Clark once they settled in. As he stepped closer he began to get more and more excited at the idea of just the two of them in paradise. He was so into it that he didn't notice the belt that lay on the floor near the bed. It was when he made it close enough to place the rag over Clark's nose and mouth that the buckle jingled just enough to wake Clark.

Clark rolled over at the sound of his belt moving on the floor and wondered who was in his room. As he turned with his eyes barely open he saw Whitney with a look of evil glee on his face that made him panic. Clark took a deep breath before preparing for the fight of his and his family's lives; his thoughts on what Whitney was about to do.

"My love, you are mine now." Whitney said as he got ready to place the cloth, but was stopped by Clark sitting up and looking at Whitney with fear and determination in his eyes.

"Clark" Whitney said his voice taking on quality of that of a mother speaking to a small child. Clark stared at Whitney almost daring Whitney to do something; he didn't have to wait long on the action that Whitney was going to take.

"Mine" Whitney said before lunging at Clark and trying to cover his mouth with something, be that the cloth in his hand or his other hand just to make sure that Clark wouldn't make any noise that would bring Lex or the twins into the room. Clark was lucky enough to move out of the way before Whitney could place his hands on him, so with a shout he began to make his way toward the door and to his freedom. It was not to be, for Whitney had recovered faster than Clark had hoped and now had his hands were around Clark dragging him back toward the bed.

"Just stop fighting" Whitney said while semi-petting Clark's head as he struggled more and more for breaking free of Whitney. It was as he wiggled one last time that Whitney yelled and slammed his fist into Clark's gut from behind.

"Leeeex" Clark said while he was punched in the gut, making him want to double over in pain.

"Just stop!" Whitney shouted before cursing and moving faster, trying to get out of the castle with Clark in tow. It was not to happen for as soon as he reached the bed to throw Clark down; the door was opened and in walked Lex Luthor.

"What in the hell do you think you are doing, not only with Clark but in this building?" Lex asked in the scary calm that Chloe had warned Clark about on occasion when they spoke about Lex.

"Getting what's mine" Whitney said before shaking Clark a bit and then kissing the side of his neck that was presented to him.

"I don't think so" Lex said before making his way over to where the two stood.

"Stand your ground!" Whitney said thinking that he had the upper hand here since Clark was in his arms, right where he needed to be.

"I don't think so" Lex said before moving toward Whitney, trying to distract the blonde from the security guard that had came into the room through a small door in the corner next to a bookcase.

"Don't tell me what to do Luthor; I am the one with Clark in my arms." Whitney said smug at the idea of Clark being in his arms. It was at that moment that the security guard pounced on Whitney, bringing Clark, Whitney and the security guard all down on the floor. As they all stood up, Whitney was pulled away from Clark with the blonde yelling about Clark and being his property.

"Don't think that this is finished" Whitney said knowing that once he would arrive to the police station, all he would need to do is sweet talk the sheriff like he had done before and he would soon be free as the day he was born.

"Oh, but I think it is" Lex said with a smirk on his face as he placed a hand on Clark's shoulder. Clark on the other hand stared at the ground not wanting to look anywhere else until Whitney had left the room.

"Are you okay?" Lex said once Whitney and the security guard left the room.

"Uh…" Clark said still in shock that Whitney had been able to get not only in the castle, but also into his room.

"Clark it's okay" Lex said hoping to calm his love down. It didn't seem to work since Clark then exploded the next moment.

"Okay, okay? Nothing is going to be okay! That sick-o got into your house, after you promised me that he couldn't get me here. What if he had gone in search of the twins, instead of me? They wouldn't have had any way to defend themselves; they're three for crap's sake!" Clark said truly amazed that Lex would have the gall to say that everything was going to be okay. Lex, on the other hand, understood the panic that was flowing through Clark's veins, but he knew that he had to calm him down and yelling at Lex wasn't usually the best of ideas.

"Clark, listen" Lex said waiting and seeing if Clark would even be able to stop and listen to what he had to say. Clark nodded his head to say that he was listening.

"I know that saying that things will be okay right now, might not sound all that great, but you must trust me that I will take care of every thing so that it will be okay. I know the same thought ran through my head as I saw him there with his arms wrapped around you and your face showing how truly terrified you really were. Clark, I can't say much on how he got through, because I myself am a bit baffled, but rest assured nothing like this will ever happen again. I value my family's life more than that." Lex said with passion, anger and love shining through his eyes. He could only hope that Clark wouldn't take the twins away, for he truly did want the three there. Clark had listened to the words and passion of what Lex spoke and knew that he spoke the truth.

"I'm sorry" Clark said feeling sheepish for the way that he overreacted.

"Clark, there is no need to be sorry, let us just move forward." Lex said smiling a bit and coming closer to Clark in hopes of comforting his love. Clark watched as Lex moved closer to him and began to blush, due to the look of lust and love in Lex's eyes.

"May I kiss you?" Lex murmured as he lips where a scarce hair's breath away. Clark nodded his head and he was soon being kissed by Lex. The love, caring and tenderness all came through the kiss and made Clark want to collapse right there and now. When the kiss ended which both felt was too soon, it was then that Clark knew that he wanted more from Lex and he wanted more from him tonight. He wanted all that Lex could offer him and his children, and he wasn't as afraid as he thought he would be to embrace it.

"I want more" Clark whispered looking into Lex's eyes trying to convey without words how much more he wanted.

"How much more?" Lex asked wanting to be sure that what was in Clark's eyes was what he really wanted, for there written in his eyes was something that Lex had dreamed about since the night he had spent with Clark four long years ago.

"I want it all" Clark said and he was then the person to kiss the other first, for the first time in Lex Luthor's life he had been left speechless. He had hoped and dreamed that Clark would want all that he had to offer, but after meeting the other for the second time in four years he thought that all of his hopes and dreams were just that hopes and dreams. It seems that he was wrong and he was speechless as to how he had ended up with such good luck.

"Clark, I want you to know that once I have you I won't be able to let go." Lex said worried that Clark was only looking for a one-night stand and he wasn't willing or able to give that to Clark.

"I have been yours since the first time we met four years ago." Clark said before nuzzling his nose into the side of Lex's neck, this made Lex want to take him to bed and make love to him all night, but he knew that Clark had to be okay with it.

"Take…take me to bed" Clark stuttered out as he blushed with the thought of being made love to by Lex again.

"Yes my love" Lex said making Clark giggle a bit at how sappy Lex was being. Lex had always been nice, but sappy was a new emotion on the bald billionaire and Clark just thought it was so cute.

"Did you just giggle?" Lex said with a smirk on his face at the thought of Clark giggling like a school girl.

"I did" Clark said proudly as he placed his hand in Lex's and brining it up to his lips to kiss. Lex said nothing but then dragged Clark out the room and down to his room.

"Are you sure?" Lex asked again, once they were inside his room.

"Positive" Clark said before making his way to stand closer to the bed.

"Clark" Lex said pulling away just a bit. He couldn't do this if he thought that this was just going to backfire on him in the morning.

"I know what I want, and what I want is you." Clark said pulling Lex in between his legs, as he sat on the bed. Lex just looked down into Clark's eyes and could see the truth.

"You are mine and only mine" Lex said before leaning down and kissing Clark. After a moment the kiss went from sweet to passionate.

"More" Clark said pulling Lex on top of him as he lay down on the bed.

"Your demand is my command" Lex said taking in Clark's shirtless chest and then kissing his way down to Clark's jeans. Lex then stopped as he heard a noise coming from outside of the room.

"Did you hear that?" Lex said listening for the sound again.

"Yeah" Clark said after hearing the sound.

"Stay here" Lex said making his way to the door and then out of the door to find out what the noise was. He wouldn't put it past Whitney to show back up.

"Daddy!" Was yelled by a two small children, that Lex knew were his son and daughter.

"Zaiden, Arianna" Lex said running to their room and then throwing open the door. What met his vision made him see red, for there standing over Zaiden and Arianna was Whitney Fordman.

"What in the hell?" Lex said as he made his way into the room fully.

"It's all their fault that Clark isn't mine." Whitney said raising his hand to beat either Zaiden or Arianna, Lex couldn't tell since his focus was Whitney.

"That lands and I will kill you" Lex said making his way closer, proving that he was not afraid of Whitney. It was just as Whitney was about to hit one of the twins that Clark walked in without his shirt on still.

"Whore!" Whitney yelled pointing to Clark's still bare chest.

"Shut up" Clark said tired of hearing all of Whitney's accusations.

"Don't you dare…." Whitney started off only to be cut off as Lex punched him in the face.

"Wha…" Whitney said holding his jaw and then beginning to smirk.

"You are going to pay for that" Whitney said thinking that he would get Lex back for all the things that had happened with Clark.

"Oh, but I don't think so" Lex said already knowing what Whitney was going to try and play.

"Oh, but you will" Whitney said smirking even more at the thought of getting one over on Lex Luthor.

"I don't think so, for you see you are not only in my house without an invitation but you were also about to beat my children. I don't think too many courts will rule in your favor on this one." Lex said smugly since he knew that Whitney wouldn't be able to get out of this one as easily as he had before.

"Wha…" Whitney said again with a frown on his face. He had been certain that he would have gotten a judgment in his favor, but now that he thought about it he wasn't too sure.

"So, now I suggest that you leave" Lex said watching as Whitney made his way out the door to the room and then out of the castle.

"Daddy" both Zaiden and Arianna said before running full tilt over to where Clark and Lex stood.

"You both okay?" Clark said in a worried tone as he picked up Zaiden and Lex, Arianna.

"No" both stuttered out, fear still written on their faces. Both Clark and Lex pulled them closer, not wanting anything bad to happen to either.

"Come on" Clark said walking out of the room and towards the large master bedroom that he had been taken to not minutes before.

"Where we go?" Zaiden asked as he snuggled closer to his daddy.

"To papa Lex's room" Clark said smiling at the look of love on Lex's face at his words.

"You stay?" Zaiden asked again to his daddy.

"That I will and papa Lex too" Clark said grabbing hold of Lex's hand that was free of carrying Arianna.

"Really?" Lex asked as he tightened his hand within Clark's.

"Yeah" Clark said as they reached the door to the bedroom.

"Yay" Zaiden said wiggling down and running to the large bed, and then jumping on it.

"Down" Arianna said before doing the same thing.

"Family" Clark said taking Lex's hand again and then making their way over to the bed. A few short minutes later and all four were in the large bed ready for bed. Clark soon began to hum a lullaby for the twins and they soon fell asleep.

"Clark" Lex said grabbing Clark's hand and squeezing it a bit.

"We'll talk in the morning" Clark said before closing his eyes and evening out his breathing. Lex watched as both his children and love slept on with what looked like no concern what so ever.

"I will protect you with my life" Lex said before he too fell asleep.

"Master Lex" woke Lex up as Enrique stood at the foot of the bed.

"Enrique" Lex said sitting up a bit to focus on the older man.

"The sheriff and Mister Fordman are here"

"I'll be right down" Lex said before getting out of bed as quietly as he could. Ten minutes later Lex arrived downstairs to greet Whitney Fordman and Sheriff Adams standing his foyer.

"Ah and to what do I owe the pleasure of the sheriff and Mister Fordman?"

"Whitney said that you attacked him last night, and I am just following up." The sheriff said missing the smug look on Whitney's face about the whole ordeal.

"Ah, and I wonder did Mister Fordman tell you where he was attacked?" Lex said wanting to see how much he would be telling the sheriff about the attack.

"He didn't say….where were you attacked?"

"Uuuh" Whitney said not expecting for Lex to be all together in the morning.

"Well, let me answer for him. He was "attacked" in my home after he broke into it, trying to rape Clark Kent." Lex said now truly fed up with Whitney Fordman and his games.

"Is this true?"

"Of course not!" Whitney cried indignantly.

"Oh, if you don't believe me I have proof. I have the security tapes that show that he broke in and where he went after he was in the building." Lex said knowing now that he had Whitney.

"You lie!" Whitney yelled before being cut off by Lex.

"Try me"

"You couldn't have had any tapes since I was almost able to take back what was mine." Whitney said with a smug smile on his face that was quickly wiped off once he realized what he had just said.

"I don't think there will be a need for those tapes, sorry to have disturbed you this morning." The sheriff said before pulling Whitney out of the castle and to the patrol car that sat in the circle drive. Lex watched as Whitney was handcuffed and placed into the back of the car before he was pulled from his watching by Arianna and Zaiden yelling and making their way over to where Lex stood by the door.

"Morning you two" Lex said bending down and hugging both of his children. He still couldn't get over the fact that he had children and with probably the one person that he never thought he would be able to have children with.

"Good morning" Clark said kissing Lex on the lips as he stood back up.

"Morning to you, too" Lex said a genuine smile on his face.

"What are you doing here this early in the morning?" Clark said looking out the window beside the door and seeing the patrol car making its way down the drive.

"Mister Fordman thought he would press charges against me for punching him, but he forgot to mention the part about how he broke in and how he was trying to rape you. That didn't seem to go over to terribly well since the sheriff left with him in step behind." Lex said smirking at the idea of Whitney getting what he deserved in the county jail. It would be equal payment for the pain and suffering that he put Clark and the twins through, to become the bitch for some slob in prison.

"Do you think it is over?" Clark asked hopeful that he wouldn't have the need to deal with Whitney any longer.

"I don't know; he got caught up in his own lies so I can see prison in his near future. What he will do from there, I have no idea." Lex said before squeezing Clark's hand that he had grabbed once he kissed Clark. Clark just nodded his head in response; he just hoped that he would never see Whitney again.

"Enough about that, what ever shall we do today?" Lex said looking down at his two children with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to tell his father where he could stick the "find Lex a wife" campaign that his father seemed to be on, as of late.

"Carve punkins!" rang through out the foyer. Both Clark and Lex had to laugh at the looks of glee on the twins faces.

"Okay" Lex said before turning and making his way to the kitchen where Susannah stood with a smile on her face.

"Master Lex, little masters and Clark. What a surprise to see you here."

"Susannah, is it possible for you to get us some pumpkins for carving?"

"Of course" Susannah said before exiting and going to find some pumpkins.

"Aren't we doing this a bit early?" Clark asked Lex, since he knew that the older man was just as excited about carving then the twins.

"Yes, but who cares…..Halloween is only a few weeks away." Lex said just as Susannah entered with Enrique behind her with four pumpkins.

"Now you make sure to get all the insides out, I need to make a couple of pies with those insides." Susannah said directing her words to Lex and Clark.

"You can have mine" Clark said knowing full well that his twins wouldn't be willing to give up their pumpkin's insides.

"Thank you" Susannah said before passing Lex a knife and two markers.

"Mark them up" Lex said handing the markers to the twins. It was with glee that the twins flew to the pumpkins and deciding what went on where.

"Lex" Clark said before pulling Lex out of the room so that they could talk in peace. Susannah made her way closer to the pair and helped them draw their designs in the pumpkins.

"I…" Clark started only to be cut off by Lex swooping down and kissing Clark as if his life depended on it.

"Beautiful" Lex murmured against Clark's lips. Clark could only gasp as Lex stuck his legs between Clark's legs making his hard length rub against the leg in question.

"Lex" Clark said breathless, hoping that Lex would not stop but knowing that he would at least not for a while.

"Lex" Clark called again before Lex stopped.

"Clark" Lex said trying to break the passion that had built inside of him.

"We need to talk" Clark said making Lex pull back just a bit. The look in Lex's eyes made Clark start talking fast so that he could get back to kissing Lex.


	18. Act XVIII:  Understanding

_Act XVIII: Understanding_

"Lex, I just wanted to say that this is not a one night stand….I had one of those and it wasn't enough. Not having you wasn't enough…." Clark said running a hand down the side of Lex's cheek. Lex watched Clark as he spoke looking for any deceit from the other man and not finding any. Lex nodded his head, amazed that Clark would give him another chance.

"Lex if we do this, we do this right." Clark said before laughing at the look on Lex's face.

"Does that mean…." Lex trailed off hoping that he would be able to make love to Clark sometime soon. He of course was no angel when he was in the UK, but making love to the father of his children was an entirely different matter.

"I'm not ruling it out, but I want to take it slow first." Clark said leaning against Lex since he was locked in Lex's arms.

"Please allow me just tonight for now" Lex said staring at Clark trying to convey the passion that he wanted to give his love.

"Tonight" Clark said with a shiver at the thoughts of what Lex would be doing to him a few short hours later. Lex kissed Clark and with a nod broke the embrace, and just in time too for Arianna and Zaiden came flying out of the room looking for their daddies.

"Daddy, Papa" Arianna and Zaiden yelled while making their way over to where Clark and Lex stood, hand and hand.

"Hey you two" Clark said before being cut off by Arianna.

"We finished come cut it"

"All right" Clark said before tugging at Lex's hand to drag him into the kitchen to carve the pumpkins.

Hours later had Lex and Clark putting the twins to bed and making their way over to Lex's room; as soon as the door closed, Lex attacked Clark with all the power that was hidden in Lex's slim frame.

"My own" Lex murmured while sucking on Clark's neck to mark the younger man.

"Yours" Clark said with a gasp as he felt Lex's hand move to the waistband of his jeans.

"Please" Lex said looking into Clark's eyes, hoping that Clark understood what he was asking for.

"Yes" Clark said taking Lex's hand and guiding it inside the waistband of the pants and boxers that Clark had on and to his hard shaft.

"Mine" Lex said once more before diving in and running his hands around Clark's body as he worked to get Clark's clothes off of him. In short order, both Clark and Lex were naked and kissing as if this would be the last time they would see each other. Lex soon broke the kiss and grabbed the tube of lubricant that he always had in the bedside drawer, for those days of self pleasure as well as for any lovers he would bring home. Lex soon pushed one finger through the ring of muscles that tried to push him out of Clark's body. Clark sucked in a breath at the intrusion but then relaxed as he remembered the care and love that Lex had given to him four years ago.

"Relax" Lex said while kissing the bruise that was now on the side of Clark's neck. Clark just nodded his head in response before gasping as Lex added a second finger.

"More" Clark stuttered out as the waves of pleasure rolled through out his body.

"Soon" Lex said now nipping at Clark's peeked nipples. Clark could only groan at the amount of pleasure that Lex was giving him. Soon Lex pulled his fingers out and covered his long and slim shaft with a condom and then began his entrance into Clark.

"Relax" Lex said again placing a hand on Clark's chest as the young man squirmed just a bit at the blunt object entering him. Once Lex was finally seated with in Clark's body, he stopped before he would explode before even the first pump of his body into Clark's.

"More" Clark panted out as he took the shaft in his body with contentment. He had waited four long and hard years to have Lex where he was now, and he would die before giving it away. At those words, Lex began to slowly pump into Clark's body reveling in the pleasure that the body below was giving him. Sooner than both had hoped they exploded with the name of the other on their lips.

"Wow" Clark said after regaining his breath and thoughts after the mind blowing sex that he had just had.

"I must concur with you" Lex said grabbing Clark by the middle and tugging for the larger man to make his way over to Lex's body. Clark did so gladly and placed his head on Lex's chest and soon fell into a sated slumber. Lex. on the other hand, laid there running his hand through Clark's hair, while thinking about how he would bring down Whitney Fordman and any others that would dare take Clark and his children away. It was with the answer to his dilemma that Lex fell asleep.

"Up, up, up" Woke both Clark and Lex from their peaceful slumber, that both had longed for.

"That better not be Arianna" Clark mumbled before opening his eyes to see that his daughter was right in his face.

"Daddy" Arianna said before jumping into and onto Clark's lap. Zaiden was on the other side with Lex, before he too got into his papa's lap. Soon the four were downstairs and getting ready to head back to the farm when Lex got a phone call.

"Luthor" Lex barked into the phone as he usually did, which had Clark rolling his eyes.

"Father, to what do I owe this phone call?" Lex said his voice changing from that of a business man to that of a snowman in the arctic. Lex listened for a while before deciding that his father was stupid if he thought that Lex would willingly bed a niece of one his father's lovers.

"Lex" Clark said watching as Lex's face closed off, the more that he spoke with his father. It was minutes later that Lex slammed the phone closed and then looked over to Clark for support. What he found amazed him, for there in Clark's eyes was the love and understanding that one gets when they find out that their father cares more for the family line then the person behind the stature.

"He wants me to 'date' as he called it a resident of Smallville." Lex said trying to see if Clark would throw him away once he found out.

"Who?" was all Clark asked, for he knew who it would be. There was only one person that would be able to do this sort of thing.

"Lana Lang" Lex said watching Clark's face and the sadness that was written all over it. He had been on the receiving end of the evilness that she could do, and he could only hope that both would come out alive after this.

"Clark" Lex said stepping closer and then hugging his lover.

"She will control you" Clark said mumbling into the crook of Lex's neck.

"And that is where you are wrong, if my father thinks that I am going to bed her he has another thing coming. I have the love of my life and I don't plan on messing it up with the ideas that my father has about an heir." Lex said running his hands through Clark's hair and down his side.

"Really" Clark said before getting a bemused smile and a nod in the positive. Clark beamed at Lex and then kissed him before the pair was being yelled at by the twins to come in the kitchen for breakfast.

"When will your parents be home?" Lex asked as they made their way to the kitchen.

"Sometime this afternoon" Clark said peeking at Lex from the corner of his eyes.

"Good that gives me some time with the twins" Lex said smiling sadly at Clark.

"You can see them when you want" Clark said wondering what had gotten into Lex.

"Are you sure?" Lex asked wondering on if Clark knew what he was hinting at.

"Of course, I am a grown man and I own a house. If someone doesn't like it, tough. You are their father and we are working at a relationship." Clark said getting angry that Lex would bend to someone's will so much.

"Clark" Lex said before being cut off by Clark.

"Is it that you are ashamed of us? You don't want to be seen with us, is that it?" Clark said hurt and confused about what was going on.

"Clark, I am not ashamed or embarrassed about being with you. I just don't want to cause trouble with your family."

"Okay so they aren't too happy with you right now, but that is only because of the things that happened years ago. Mom and Dad are seeing that you aren't your father and that you made a mistake, we all do it from time to time and this was one of yours." Clark said with as much love and honestly he could convey through his eyes. Lex could only stare at the man in front of him, and hope that this wasn't all a dream.

"Clark" Lex said before moving in for a chaste kiss on the lips before entering the kitchen. Clark was left standing with surprise written on his face of the kiss that Lex had given him. Both finally sat down for breakfast and listened to the twins talk about all the stuff that they wanted to do today with their papa and daddy. It made both men proud that the twins were taking things with little fanfare.

"Granpa, granma" the twins shrieked as they saw Jonathan and Martha come into the house where Lex and Clark both sat planning a booth for the Halloween fair that was to take place in the next couple of days.

"Clark…Lex" Martha said in greeting with Zaiden on her hip. Arianna had always been a Grandpa's girl and it showed now as she too sat on the hip of her grandfather.

"Mom, dad; Lex and I were just planning the booth for the fair."

"Come up with anything good?" Jonathan asked as he set Arianna down to sit in the chair close to where the pair sat on the floor.

"Well, I thought it would be a good idea for you to sell tickets to a haunted house that I plan to set up at the castle. I think my father would pull that mane that he calls hair out if he knew." Lex said with a smirk on his face, which made Jonathan roar with laughter. He could see now that Lex was nothing like his father if he was willing to do something for the children of Smallville like put on a haunted house at the castle. Most of the people that lived in the town just didn't have the money, time or energy to do that sort of thing which always made the kids do stupid things to entertain themselves on the holiday that marked the passing of spirits to the other side.

"Dad" Clark asked concerned when his father began to laugh. It was fairly rare that you found his father laughing at something a Luthor would say.

"You got spunk" Jonathan said before getting up and patting Lex on the shoulder as a sign of approval of Lex with Clark. Both of the two men knew it and were happy to have the other's approval, which left Clark clueless and his mother laughing at him as Zaiden and Arianna sat on the floor coloring in their Halloween books without a care in the world.

"So show me what you have" Martha said as she watched Jonathan carry their bags upstairs for her to unpack and wash the dirty clothes. It was then that Lex went into all out business mode for what the haunted house would look like and what they would and wouldn't allow to happen at the castle.

"So you are saying you are going to have a huge party going on after they make it out?" Martha said clearly impressed on what Lex and Clark had planned, for she knew her son was in this as deep as he could go.

"I figure it is a good idea, better than having them egging the houses or doing whatever it is that they do out in the country" Lex said before being swatted by Clark.

"We aren't all hicks you know" Clark said with a grin on his face, due to the happiness that he felt with spending his time with his family which now included Lex.


	19. Act XIX:  Enter the Dragons

_Act XIX: Enter the Dragons_

~ Two Months Later ~

"Do we _have_ to go?" Clark whined standing in front of the full length mirror.

"Of course we do, you are my partner and I plan to take you" Lex said before coming over to help Clark with the bow tie on the tuxedo.

"Your father will eat me alive" Clark said making a face as Lex tightened the bow tie too tight.

"No, that is my job" Lex said smirking when Clark turned pink at the innuendo that he had made.

"Lex" Clark said before laughing at the look of pure glee on Lex's face due to his blushing.

"Let's go" Lex said before patting Clark's chest and then making his way down the stairs of the house.

"Okay, but let me just make sure that mom doesn't need anything for the twins." Clark said as he started to make his way to the house that stood off to the left and forward from his house.

"Okay" Lex said sighing before walking out with Clark to the main house to check up on the twins.

"Everything all right?" Clark asked as watched his mother and father playing with the twins.

"Yes, now shoo" Martha said before standing and giving her son a hug and then walking towards Lex.

"Good luck. Not that you need it" Martha whispered as she watched for Clark to turn around and look for Lex. At the words that Martha spoke, Lex patted his jacket pocket before nodding his head in agreement.

"Have a good time you two" Martha said pushing Clark out of the door with Lex following behind with a smile on his face. It was at those words that the door closed behind the pair just as a limo pulled up.

"Come" Lex said walking down the stairs to the house to the limo that waited for them with an open door. It was a three hour drive later that had Clark and Lex ready to get out of the limo and fast.

"Master Lex" the driver said as he opened the door that met with the red carpet for the event.

"Ready" Lex said before he waited for Clark to respond which he did with a nod of his head. At that move, Lex took hold of Clark's hand and began to get out of the car. Once Lex was out fully with Clark by his side the cameras began to flash and reporters began to ask questions about who was on his arm this night. None of the questions were answered, but Lex knew better than to let the press speculate about who Clark was and why he was here with Lex.

"Lex you made it" a female voice said as the owner made her way towards the pair. As the woman got closer Clark then recognized her as Nell Potter.

"You have to be kidding me" Clark muttered under his breath.

"What?" Lex said hoping to get an answer out of Clark before she was in hearing distance.

"That is Nell Potter, Lana Lang the resident pink princess' aunt." Clark said before he smiled and greeted Nell.

"Lionel was certain that you would be a no show" Nell babbled on to Lex while Clark on the other hand looked around the ball room that was decked out for the Luthor Corp Winter Holiday Party.

"Well, I am here and with my date" Clark heard Lex say before glancing at Nell and seeing the shocked with just a hint of anger in her eyes.

"And who is this then?" Nell said as if she didn't know who Clark was, since he had delivered some produce to her just the other day.

"Clark Kent" Lex said proudly, knowing that Nell would scurry off to find Lionel with the news that Lex was here with a hick from Smallville.

"Well, isn't that special" Nell said with an air that made both Clark and Lex want to strangle her.

"Indeed" Lex said before moving off to greet someone else who was trying to get his attention. Nell left in a huff when she saw that she wasn't getting anywhere with Lex. It was after Lex made sure that Nell was gone that he spoke to Clark.

"You doing okay?"

"Could be better" Clark said with a smile on his face to say that things were just fine, even if he was uncomfortable. It was while Lex was speaking to the president of Ghone Inc, that they heard a voice they never wished to hear; that of Scott McBride, Jr.

"You cannot be serious?" Clark said to Lex with panic in his eyes, he had loved his freedom away from the McBride's, but it seemed that the freedom was about to end. Lex could only look at Clark with sadness in his eyes, since he knew that his father was the reason for Scott, Jr. to be at this party. Lex was about to respond when Scott's voice took over.

"Lex, how good to see you" Scott said with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait for the chance to get Lex alone so that he may try and get into Lex's pants. If the reports that the newspapers had printed were true, then Lex would screw anything with legs and a dick. Lex turned around to come face to face with Scott only to sneer at the man in front of him.

"McBride" Lex said trying to hold the anger and fear out of his voice.

"Lex, now you know me better than that" Scott said with a nudge to Lex, like they were old friends.

"I can't say that I do, now if you will excuse me" Lex said moving off toward a set of double doors that went out and into the main lobby area of the hotel.

"Lex" Scott said before he noticed that someone moved in the same direction as Lex.

"Who are you?" Scott asked Clark's back, while Clark stood frozen to the spot where he stood.

"I said who are you?" Scott asked again before grabbing Clark's arm and turning him around.

"Clark!" Scott yelled as he got a glimpse of his younger ex-brother.

"Scott" Clark said with a hard edge to his voice, if there was one thing that Lex taught him it was to never show weakness to those you fear the most, Whitney being the exception.

"What in the hell are you doing here and following Lex around by the looks of it? Are you stalking him?" Scott said in disbelief that his ex-brother would be allowed into such a party.

"I…..I" Clark started out only to be cut off by Lex, since he had returned from the main lobby after cooling down.

"Your concern over why Clark is here is not yours to worry about." Lex said while staring Scott down to show that if he planned to bring his ex-brother down that there would be serious consequences. Scott stood with his mouth hanging open as Lex spoke; he never thought that Lex would do something like this to him.

"Excuse us" Lex said before Scott could regain his composure and retort on the status of Clark and why he was here. Once both Clark and Lex were out of the reach of Scott, Clark began to relax a little bit. Lex took a look at Clark and could see that the encounter was something that he had not suspected.

"All right?" Lex asked Clark hoping that Clark would say that he wished to go home, for he was more than willing to go back to Clark's and spend the night with Clark and the twins.

"Yeah, I think so" Clark said squeezing his hand once before trying to let go so that they were not seen.

"Don't" Lex said before taking Clark's hand again. Clark looked at Lex and could see a spark in his eyes that he got when he was about to overpower his father in a business acquisition.

"Lex" Clark said his voice holding the question in his tone that Lex could hear.

"You are here as my date and partner and you will be seen that way. I don't care if Scott McBride is here or Tate Sullivan for that matter, because I am here with the one that I love and that is you." Lex said before pulling Clark close and kissing him with the passion that he felt for Clark and his children. As they broke Clark spoke.

"I love you too"

"Come on" Lex said pulling Clark back towards the ball room.

"Lex, can we go home?" Clark said hesitantly.

"Of course" Lex said with a small smile lighting up his face, now that he would be able to go home and be with his family. Clark kissed Lex before they made their way to the coat room to get their coats. They unfortunately where not fast enough since as they were getting ready to leave, the whole McBride family met them at the door.

"Lex….Clark" Jessica McBride said, while eyeing the two.

"Mrs. McBride" Lex said in greeting knowing that Clark would cut himself before even trying to be civil to these people.

"Clark, have I taught you nothing?" Jessica said trying to rip into Clark. It was with those words that Clark spoke.

"You haven't taught me anything because I am not your son"

"Clark, apologize to your mother at once" Scott, Sr. said with a glint in his eye that said to do as you were told.

"No, because she isn't my mother, she may have given birth to me but my mother is a woman who is one hundred times greater than you are; Jessica" Clark spat out angry that these people would revert into him being their child. He was nineteen with two children and had a profitable business.

"You are our son" Scott, Sr. said only to be stopped by Clark once again.

"I don't think so; I remember some emancipation papers you filed that made me no longer your child. Do you remember?" Clark said now ready to go to war with the group in from of him.

"That is just a misunderstanding" Jessica said trying to get Clark back under their thumb.

"Sorry, you are four years too late, I am nineteen with a family and a life that doesn't revolve around which party or how much money someone has. I love my life and you can't take it away from me." Clark said knowing that the McBride's would do all they would go get him back to being a McBride now that they saw Lex with him.

"Clark you have to understand" Scott. Sr. started out only to be cut off by Lex.

"Listen Mr. McBride, you are too little too late to try and get Clark back. He is happy where he is and if you try and take him away from his family you will have to answer to me." With that threat Scott, Sr. got nasty.

"Is that a threat? Because if it is you will be sadly mistaken if I will take the threat to heart, Clark is our son and he will be a McBride once again."

"Oh we shall see about that" Lex said with a parting shot as Lex walked Clark out of the building and to the valet area to get home to Smallville.

"No" Clark mumbled before Lex was able to break him out of his thoughts.

"They won't get you" Lex said already forming a plan in his mind that would keep Clark with the Kents and himself.

"Lex, they will do anything to get me back" Clark said now hyperventilating at the thought of being at the McBride's with his children.

"Don't worry everything will work out" Lex said rubbing soothing circles on Clark's back. Once the limo pulled up Lex helped Clark get into the car and comforted his love all the way back to Smallville. Once inside the limo Clark spoke:

"Lex, is it possible to….." Clark started out only to stop because of the thoughts he had running through his mind.

"Clark?" Lex asked wanting to know if he would have the chance to ask his love the question that had been on his mind all night.

"Can we stay away from the farm tonight? Mom and dad have the twins. I just want to spend some time with you." Clark said while blushing at the thoughts of what he wanted to do with Lex tonight. Lex had stayed true to his word and hadn't tried to pressure Clark into something he wasn't ready for, but now with seeing the McBride's and the thoughts that they would fight to get him back so that they would be associated with Lex; he wanted, no needed to make sure that Lex would love him either way.

"I know just the place" Lex said before speaking with the driver as the limo turned right at the intersection.

"Clark" Lex said pulling the bigger man to him to place a kiss on his lips, once their lips broke Clark sighed at the feeling of warmth and comfort coming from the other man.

"Mr. Luthor we have arrived" the driver said once he opened the door to the limo, so that Clark and Lex could exit the car. Once outside Clark saw the hotel name and turned to Lex, for he knew that Lex had something planned.

"Lex" Clark said eyeing the look on Lex's face.

"Come" Lex said grabbing him by the hand and leading him into the hotel lobby, where he was told to wait a few paces back from the desk counter.

"Ready" Lex said a few minutes later with a smile on his face at the thoughts of what Clark's reaction would be once he arrived to their location in the hotel.

"Ready" Clark said standing next to Lex and taking his hand in his. Lex squeezed the hand in return before making his way to the elevator. Once they arrived to the 31st floor, Lex attacked Clark's lips full on and they broke long enough to get into the room, and Lex growled out "mine" before attacking Clark again with kisses that left them both breathless.

"Lex" Clark said pulling back a bit so that he could ask Lex a question.

"Yes" Lex said before going back and nibbling on Clark's neck.

"They won't get me and the twins, right?" Clark said with worry in his eyes.

"Of course not, you are mine and your family is with the Kents all of it." Lex said by way of reassuring Clark.

"Okay" Clark said before joining in the kiss that Lex had just begun. Soon enough the kisses turned into something more and Lex had Clark withering on the bed chanting Lex's name over and over again.

"Soon my love" Lex said before entering a fully prepared and with protecting and moaning Clark's name.

"Lex" Clark gasped out as Lex had entered him fully and made him feel complete as he did the first time they made love, for that is what Clark thought of it as; love. Both could feel their completion coming and began to work harder to bring completion.

"Clark" Lex gasped out as Clark answered in kind with Lex's name on his lips. Once Lex had regained his breath, he rolled off Clark and pulled Clark to him.

An hour later had Clark and Lex both sitting in front of the fireplace in the suite's living room watching as the fire burned with its amber glow while music played softly in the background, both basked in the love and comfort of the other. It was then that Lex decided now was as good a time as any to ask Clark his question.

"Clark" Lex said before moving a bit a ways so that he could get the item from his pocket that he placed there before he left Smallville.

"Yeah" Clark said watching as a robe clad Lex walked into the bedroom and came out a few moments later still empty handed.

"Lex?" Clark asked wondering what Lex was up to.

"Clark, you have given me two beautiful children and love that I never thought I deserved or would get."

"Lex" Clark said tears shimmering in his eyes at the thoughts that were running through his head. He didn't know what he would do if Lex was breaking things off with him.

"And for that I fell in love with you all over again, but there is still something missing in my life and that is my partner. Clark Kent will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?" Lex asked on bended knee while asking Clark to marry him. Clark took one look at Lex's face and then the ring that sat nestled in black velvet and jumped Lex.

"Yes" Clark said before kissing Lex on every inch of skin he could get to. Lex beamed and laughed at Clark's reaction to the question. He could only hope that the McBride's or his father wouldn't show up and ruin the wedding.

"So when do you want to have it?" Lex asked Clark hoping that it would be soon so they could avoid any attempts that the McBride's and Lionel would try and place upon the both of them.

"Soon" Clark said thinking of things that would need to be done to ensure that the wedding would go off with out a hitch.

"How soon?" Lex said now holding Clark in his arms as they both sat on the floor by the fire.

"December 31st"

"Clark, we don't need to rush into this. I will do all in my power to keep the McBride's away from you"

"You can try, but they will find a way Lex, they have always found ways to bring me down and I won't chance that with the twin's lives on the line." Clark said a serious glint in his eyes that told Lex that he wouldn't be talked out of this wedding date.

"Okay, once we get back the planning will begin." Lex said before kissing Clark again that lead to a night of passion for both men.


	20. Act XX:  Preparation and the Act

_Act XX: Preparation and the Act_

_~One week later~_

"Clark" Lex called out into the main house on the farm.

"In here" Clark said calling from the kitchen where he was helping his children decorate their cookies that were for the winter carnival that was to take place that night.

"Hey" Lex said once he arrived to the kitchen. As soon as the twins saw him, they jumped off their chairs and greeted their 'pappa' with the ramblings about what they were going to do at the fair tonight.

"You going to the carnival?" Lex asked Clark as he kissed him before going behind Clark and hugging him with his hands around Clark's waist as he always liked to do when close to Clark.

"No, mom and dad are going to take the twins. They said something about wanting to bond with their grandchildren. I think they are going to help the twins pick out our gifts for Christmas and wedding gifts." Clark said loving the feel of Lex's hands around his waist.

"Hmmm" Lex said before kissing the side of Clark's neck and then releasing the waist.

"So what are you two doing?" Lex asked while he sat in a chair close to the twins that were now decorating their cookies again.

"Making the cookies pretty, they are for Gram and Granpa"

"They look very good" Lex said eyeing the cookies since they did look good, even with the odd frosting that the twins had coated the cookies in.

"Have one" Clark said grabbing one of his and giving it to Lex.

"This is excellent" Lex said wondering on if Clark or Martha had baked the cookies.

"I made them" Clark said proud of the fact that he made cookies that Lex actually liked. It had been hard for him at first to learn to cook but with a mother like Martha Kent you were in good hands.

"These are good, you will have to make more soon" Lex said already dreaming of a Clark in the kitchen with a round belly and a happy glow about him.

"I see those cogs working over there, what's up?" Clark said watching as the dreamy look on Lex's face faded to be replaced with that of Lex Luthor with a plan that involved Clark and a bed, not that he was complaining.

"Nothing that you won't soon find out about" Lex said coming over to Clark again and kissing him on the lips. There was a chorus of ewww from the twins before they broke apart.

"They didn't seem to enjoy that as much as I did" Lex whispered to Clark before breaking free and trying to get down to the reason he was here, except to be near Clark.

"I got everything all ready for the ceremony, now we just need to decide if there will be a reception or not." Lex said already knowing the answer but wanting Clark to make the final decision.

"No reception, I just want to count in the New Year with the family" Clark said happy at the idea of being with all his loved ones at the same time.

"We do get a honeymoon right?" Lex asked with a quirk of his eyebrows, Clark could only laugh at the look on Lex's face at the thought of honeymoon.

"Only if mom and dad will take the twins, or did you want to take them with us?" Clark said his face serious for about two seconds before he broke down and laughed. Lex could only shake his head before sitting back down and helping the twins work with their cookies. Clark watched with a happy smile on his face, he could only hope that the McBride's wouldn't do anything until after the New Year, but he never knew with them.

~December 25th~

Christmas came in a flurry of wrapping paper and squeals that were given by each new present unwrapped. The group of six sat in the living room of the Kent's main house while a fire roared in the fireplace and the twins ran from the tree to one of the adults delivering presents.

"Daddy, pappa can we go play with Granpa out side?" Arianna asked while Zaiden stood behind his sister and let her do the talking.

"Hmm, I don't know" Clark said with a smile on his face letting his children know that he was kidding.

"Pappa!" Arianna said to Lex hoping he would be of some help.

"Only if Grandpa is willing" Lex said before looking over to the older male in the room. The twins turned to Jonathan and were met with a huge smile and a nod of his head.

"Outside, outside!" Arianna and Zaiden yelled throughout the house while getting ready to go out in the snow.

"I'll be back" Clark said before kissing Lex on the lips quickly and then following the path that his children took.

"Lex" Jonathan said trying to get Lex's attention, so that he could speak to the other man in private.

"Mr. Kent"

"How many times do I have to say call me Jonathan?" He said before laughing and then continuing on with the conversation.

"I just want to thank you for the joy that I see in Clark's and the twins eyes when they see you." Lex could only nod his head due to his throat being closed by the kind words that Jonathan spoke. This sort of praise coming from Jonathan was the sort of thing he craved from his own father but knew better than to expect from him.

"And I also want to say that I and Martha approve of you and think of you as a second son we never got." Jonathan said with a few tears in his eyes. He hadn't wanted to cry but with the emotions that were in the air he had just few tears.

"Jonathan you have no idea how much that meant to me. My own father won't praise me for something that I have done and this coming from you is something that I take heart in." Lex said before standing up and giving Jonathan a small hug.

"Thanks" Lex whispered in Jonathan's ear before breaking apart, it was at that time that Clark came in with two snow ready children that were waiting for their Granpa.

"Ready?" Jonathan asked the pair before he was given a nod from each child.

"Be good" Clark said before watching as Jonathan and Martha went outside to play with the twins in the snow.

"Happy?" Lex asked while wrapping his arm around Clark.

"Yeah" Clark said with a sigh, he had never felt so complete in his whole life and he just worried that something bad was going to happen and soon.

"Don't worry so much, the wedding is planned everything will be fine" Lex said knowing that Clark was worried about something going wrong.

"What….what will we do if the McBride's come into town? Your father is bound to tell them where you are." Clark said turning in Lex's grasp to look him in the face.

"We will worry about that when the time comes, but now we have to worry about our honeymoon" Lex said with lust filled eyes.

"And what is our honeymoon going to consist of?" Clark said with a smile on his face at Lex's change of subject.

"Well, it is a surprise, so don't ask" Lex said before kissing Clark on the lips. They broke apart by the phone ringing.

"Kent Farms, Clark speaking" Clark answered the phone with.

"Sorry, they are outside can I help you?"

"Oh, well I will have mom call you back when she gets in" Clark said before hanging up the phone.

"What was that about?"

"Oh, Mrs. Nelson wanted mom to bake some cookies for her." Clark said before going over to Lex and pulling him in for a kiss.

"I could get used to this sort of thing" Lex said with a smile on his face. He hoped that his honeymoon plans would leave Clark amazed at what he would do for the younger man. The week leading up to the wedding ceremony had both Clark and Lex running around town getting last minute items and both looking for a gift for each other.

~December 31st~

"Ready?" Martha asked her son as he stood in his bedroom with the twins sitting on the bed.

"More than ready" Clark said while checking to make sure that he had everything before they would go to the location for the wedding. They had wanted to have it at the mansion or at the main Kent house, but figured that if some one came looking for any of them that they would find them there and then all hell would break loose.

"Well, let's get a move on" Martha said before grabbing the bag that held Clark's tuxedo and the garment bags for the twin's outfits they were to wear.

"Now?" Zaiden asked Clark wondering if now they would be a complete family with daddy and pappa.

"Now" Clark said before grabbing both of the twin's hands and walking them out of the house and to the car for the trip to the spot that the small wedding was to be held. Twenty minutes later had the group of four arriving to a medium sized white tent that blended into the surrounding snow covered land.

"Finally" Chloe said as she made her way towards the group.

"Hey now" Clark said before he was pulled away from the group so that Chloe could talk to him privately.

"Chlo" Clark asked worried that something bad was going on.

"Lex has been asking about you since he got here two hours ago. Where have you been?" Clark had to laugh at the statement, because Lex was always the cool and calm one in any situation.

"At home getting the twins ready, I did after all have to get them ready while Lex made sure that everything was okay for the ceremony." Clark stated knowing that Lex was still worried that Clark would change his mind. Lex had stated in the week after his proposal that he expected for Clark to "come to his senses" about the whole marriage to him. It hadn't happened yet and Clark didn't think it ever would, for he truly believed that Lex was his better half, his soul mate and nothing would change that for him.

"Sorry" Chloe said with a blush to her cheeks, she had tried to calm Lex down when Clark didn't arrive an hour ago.

"Its okay, I know Lex is really freaking out about this. He won't say it, but I can see it in his eyes he is happy and excited, yet he is waiting for the other shoe to drop." Clark said as he walked back towards where Martha was with the twins so that he could go and get them ready since they now had an hour to get ready. An hour later had the tent full of the few people that both Clark and Lex had invited, it was then that the music started and the twins walked out together while carrying the rings on a pillow and a flower basket. Clark walked out shortly there after with both Martha and Jonathan on either side of him. As Clark walked down the aisle, he looked at Lex the whole time with so much love in his eyes that he was about to cry.

"Love you" Clark mouthed to Lex before he arrived next to him.

"Who gives this man away?" The official said to the filled tent, signaling the start of the ceremony.

"We do, his mother and father" Jonathan said before he took Clark's hand that was in his and placed it in Lex's hand, once they backed away the official began again.

"We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Alexander Yves Luthor and this man, Clark Jerome Kent to be life partners. This bond is a confirmation of the love that both hold in their heart for the other. Do you Alexander Yves Luthor take this man, Clark Jerome Kent to be your life partner?" Lex looked at the official and then Clark and knew with out a shadow of a doubt that this was going to be a marriage that lasted and not something that didn't mean anything and would end in a few years.

"I do" Lex said with a sappy smile on his face while looking Clark in the eyes.

"And do you Clark Jerome Kent take this man, Alexander Yves Luthor to be your life partner?"

"I do" Clark said noticing the tears that shimmered in Lex's eyes.

"Do you both take these vows of your own free will?"

"I do"

"I do"

"The rings" the official said before Zaiden came up with the ring pillow that held their wedding bands.

"Alexander, you have something you would like to say" the official prompted Lex.

"Clark, you are the father of my children, the constant in my ever changing life and the love of my life. I can only hope that our marriage will be as solid and strong as that of your parents. I give you my heart and soul, for I love you." Lex said while placing Clark's wedding band on his finger and with the few tears that were in his eyes making their way down his face.

"Love you" Clark said before he was prompted from the official for his words.

"Lex, you gave me the most amazing gift that anyone on the planet could receive, our children. The love I feel for you is one that will never extinguish and will only grow in age as we change and grow as partners in life. I give you my heart and soul for my love for you will never dim." Clark said while placing Lex's wedding band on his finger with a few tears running down his face. Soon after Clark finished speaking the official spoke:

"My I now introduce to you Messieurs Luthor" once the official spoke the words Clark and Lex turned toward the small crowd with smiles on their faces.

"Love you" Lex said before kissing Clark in front of all their guests. Once they broke apart they made their way back down the aisle and out of the curtains that blocked off the ceremony area from the reception area.

~Non-Reception~

"That was amazing" Chloe said while bouncing on her heels due to all the fun she was having at the moment.

"Thanks" Lex said before pulling Clark closer to him. He just had a feeling in his gut that something was going to happen and soon so he wanted Clark as close as possible to him.

"Oh there's Jimmy, talk to you later" Chloe said before making her way over to her boyfriend and date for the non-reception.

"Happy, love?" Lex asked Clark as he watched Clark looking over the small group that was there.

"Of course he's happy Lex" a voice said that Clark didn't recognize but Lex did and a smile lit up his face.

"Ryder" Lex said while holding onto Clark while looking at the man in front of him.

"Where's Jourdan?" Lex said looking around for the dark haired man that you usually didn't see Ryder without. I sad look over took Ryder's face as he spoke.

"Probably with Tarin back at Princeton, his new med school lover. Guess he wasn't a fan of his history major lover." Ryder said with a sigh before he noticed that someone else was making their way over towards them.

"What?" Lex asked amazed that Jourdan would have done that to Ryder, they had seemed so in love. Lex didn't get to speak or think any more before another voice rang out through the small party.

"Duuuuuuude!" Was all that was said before Kal Rydell walked up to where Clark, Lex and Ryder were standing.

"Kal, so glad you could make it" Clark said with smile lighting up his face when he saw his 'older brother' had made it from his farm in Colorado.

"As if I would miss my baby brother's wedding day" Kal said before giving Clark a one armed hug and then releasing him before going to stand next to Ryder. Lex eyed the two and knew something was up, what it was he wasn't quite sure on but he had a feeling that the two were now together. The four of them spoke for a while longer before Ryder asked Kal to dance with him to the slow song that was playing.

"Ryder" Lex said before Kal and Ryder could get away, they glanced at each other and then Ryder spoke.

"We got together about five months ago when I was on an interview at the University of Colorado for an assistant professor job opening in the History Department." Ryder said proud that he had not only gotten his masters' degree but also his doctorate in a shorter period of time due to his break up with Jourdan and him spending all his time working while trying not to think of Jourdan and his new lover.

"Yeah, I ran into him, literally in town and we met up that night." Kal said a smile on his face, he had tried to talk himself into not being gay but in the end Clark's calendar made him realize that he was in fact gay and ready to try out dating with men since women he didn't seem to get or turn him on in any way.

"Well congratulations are in order for you two as well." Lex said while Clark nodded his head and smiled at the two men in front of them. Clark knew that this relationship would last for the both of them; he could see it in their eyes.

"So when's the wedding?" Clark asked before laughing at the shocked and stunned faces.

"Not any time soon" Ryder said before taking Kal's hand and walking the stunned boy away from the newly wedded pair.

"I give them a year max before we get an invitation in the mail from those two." Lex said before he grabbed Clark's hand and gave a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah, come let's dance" Clark said dragging Lex out onto the floor and then grinding against Lex to the fast tempo song playing in the tent.

"Are you trying to say something?" Lex asked as he pulled Clark closer to him by pulling at the waist of his pants.

"I might" Clark said with a bit of attitude.

"Oh well then let me see if I can figure it out shall we?" Lex said before grinding up against Clark one last time before pulling away and staring at Clark with his intense steel blue eyes. The rest of the night was spent celebrating the marriage that most in the room knew would last a life time.

"Ready to get out of here?" Lex whispered into Clark's ear as he stood next to his mother and the twins. Clark nodded his head and waited for Lex to tell him what was going on.


	21. Act XXI:  Honeymood or Hell?

_Act XXI: Honeymoon or Hell?_

"Martha, I think it is time for Clark and me to go on our honeymoon" Lex said with a leer to Clark which made Clark blush as if he was sixteen again.

"Have fun dears and make sure to forget all about Smallville while you are gone." Clark could only nod his head and laugh as Lex dragged him out of the tent and into the waiting limo to take them to their mystery destination.

"So where are we going?" Clark asked again once they were in the limo and moving towards somewhere.

"You'll see" Lex said before kissing Clark with so much passion that it brought tears to Clark's eyes that Lex loved him that much. A few hours later had Clark and Lex arriving to a small house with snow covering much of the landscape.

"Where are we?"

"Welcome to our honeymoon" Lex said with his arms spread wide.

"But where are we?" Clark said now looking about the area and seeing that they had not made it out of the state of Kansas.

"Manhattan, at the Cordon Bed & Breakfast"

"This place is expensive" Clark said wondering on how he was going to pay for a place like this.

"Well, it is a good thing you married a billionaire isn't it?" Lex joked before dragging Clark into the lobby area of the B&B.

"Lex" Clark said not liking that Lex was going to pay for an expensive place like this for their honeymoon.

"We only get one honeymoon Clark and I plan to celebrate it to the fullest" Lex said already knowing that Clark was thinking about the whole situation. Clark couldn't agree more now that Lex stated it that way.

"So check us in already" Clark said pushing Lex to the counter while staying back as to not interfere with Lex and the transaction. Five minutes later had Clark, Lex and a bellboy walking down the hall of the B&B.

"Here you are" the bellboy said while checking out both Lex and Clark.

"No looking" Lex said pushing the bellboy out of the room and then attacking his husband with the passion that had built up during the limo ride there and the time he wasn't allowed to touch his husband while checking in.

"Possessive aren't we?" Clark said while wrapping his arms around Lex's waist and kissing him in between words.

"You have no idea"

"How about you show me?" Clark said with a coy smile on his face, knowing that Lex wouldn't back down to the challenge.

"As you wish" Lex said before pulling Clark to the king sized bed and then ripping his clothes off. Lex cared little for the clothes since what was under them was what he wanted. Both men worked in silence trying to get the other naked as soon as possible. Soon after the clothes had been shed, moans and calling of names could be heard in the room through out the night.

~Next Day~

"Lex" Clark said while watching his husband sleep. He had only seen Lex in sleep once before, but even now Lex's face looked the same as he did the last time he saw it in sleep.

"Lex" Clark called out again and then watching as Lex awoke for the day.

"Clark" Lex said before meeting Clark's eyes.

"Morning" Clark said kissing Lex regardless of morning breath.

"Morning"

"How long have you been awake?" Lex said while running his hand up Clark's arm, which made Clark shiver with lust and passion.

"Oh, about ten to fifteen minutes" Lex just nodded his head in agreement and then began to get out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Clark said walking with Lex towards the bathroom, both naked and slightly aroused to see the others body.

"Shower and then we are going to go on a sleigh ride"

"Romantic" Clark said grabbing Lex's waist and making their way into the bathroom and shower together. An hour and a half later and now cold water coming out of the shower head had both exiting the bathroom to finish getting ready, Clark had a glow of just being fucked while Lex looked all of the imposing business man that he was.

"Breakfast" Clark said as he walked out of the room not looking back to see if Lex following or not.

"How many?" the hostess asked while both and Lex stood there.

"Two"

"Right this way" the hostess said before guiding them to a small table near the window. It wasn't long before someone spotted Lex.

"Lex" the male voice said that had both Clark and Lex groaning.

"McBride, Jr." Lex said in a greeting, not going above and beyond those two words.

"What are you doing here and with *him* of all people" Scott, Jr. said sneering at Clark as if he was a parasite on his side or something.

"I am here on my honeymoon and I can choose whoever I want to spend my time with, if that means spending it with my husband here then so be it. Now if you would be so kind as to remove yourself from our table, we may enjoy our breakfast together." Scott could only sputter before turning around and making his way towards the table that had the rest of the family sitting at it.

"Lex" Clark said while looking in Lex's eyes showing him how scared he really was about this.

"Don't worry, I have it under control" Lex said before reaching over the table to kiss Clark. The rest of the breakfast was spent with Lex and Clark talking over happenings of Smallville and of their future.

"Clark Jerome McBride" a woman yelled across the lobby area as Clark and Lex readied for the rest of the day, by putting on their coats.

"Will she learn I am not their son any more?" Clark said turning around only when Lex did.

"Is there a reason for your speaking with Clark?" Lex said while standing as the suave and sexy business man that he was.

"I…." Jessica was uncertain of what to say since she knew that the only reason why they are trying to speak with Clark is to get in good with Lex Luthor, heir to the Luthor fortune. She was saved from answering by her husband.

"Because our son has gotten married and not notified, or let alone invite us to the wedding."

"Well, you would have been invited if you were Clark's parents, but you are not, so we felt no reason to invite you." Lex stated to the pair bluntly knowing that they would grow enraged at the comment, Clark on the other hand was having a hard time keeping his face straight at the comment that Lex just made.

"Clark is our son" Jessica said hoping to get Clark to make Lex believe that, she was currently working on breaking the emancipation but it was slow going as Clark was over the legal age of 18 now.

"No, he isn't. You signed that right off when you decided that Clark being pregnant would tarnish your already bad names."

"Clark has and will always be our son" Scott, Sr. said before he went to grab his "lost" son.

"Don't you dare touch me" Clark said speaking for the first time since the meeting got heated.

"You are my son and you will listen to and do what I tell you"

"No, I won't since I have a father and it isn't you. You may have birthed me into this world but my true family isn't you." Clark said pulling Lex a bit a way so that they could continue their honeymoon with out the McBride's.

"Clark" Lex said his voice asking how he was really feeling.

"How dare they do that? They think that now that I am married to you, I am their lost child. Well, that is not the case and it won't ever be. I am an adult with two children and now a husband that I love as much as I do my children." Clark said truly angry that the McBride family would do this to him.

"It was nothing I didn't already expect from them." Lex said as they walked in the freshly fallen snow to the sleigh ride they were to go on.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Jessica McBride has been working since the Luthor Corp holiday party to break the emancipation papers that they signed when you were fifteen. It's slow going for her" Lex said with a smirk on his face, he knew as soon as he saw them at the party that they would start to pull Clark back to get closer to him and his father. What they didn't expect was that Lex knew this and was making the process more difficult than it should be. It of course is difficult to break the papers when the minor at the time is now an adult, but it becomes even more difficult when Lex Luthor was working on making it impossible for them to break the papers.

"Lex" Clark said worried that his ex-mother would succeed in breaking the papers, since she was one of the most sought after attorneys in Metropolis.

"Trust me when I say the only thing that Jessica McBride will accomplish is looking foolish" Lex said before kissing Clark to get his mind off of the people that had made his life hell for the first fifteen years of his life.

"That" ~kiss~ "Won't" ~kiss~ "Work" ~kiss~

"Oh, but I think it will" Lex said after breaking away from Clark to walk up to the booth that held a teenage girl looking bored.

"Can I help you?" the teen said with some attitude until she saw the two of them. Most of her day was spent being nice to old couples and not hot, free males that they looked to be.

"We would like a sleigh ride" Lex said eyeing the girl as she began to drool over both of them.

"Like together?" the teen asked confused on why two male friends would do that.

"Yes" Lex said curtly already not liking the girl.

"Well, the sleigh should be back in about ten minutes"

"Thanks" Lex said before turning around and making his way over to where Clark stood with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey" Clark said kissing Lex quickly trying to get the tramp from looking at both of them like they were a piece of chocolate cake.

"Trying to put her off?" Lex whispered to Clark only to get a nod in response.

"It's back" the teen said before looking the pair over more closely and deciding that the kiss was a joke and she had a chance with either one of them.

"You know….." the girl started out only to be stopped by the older man who took the sleighs out.

"Stop Tiffany, they're married" the older man said smiling at Lex in a warm manner.

"How do you know?" The girl asked with her nose in the air.

"Because they are holding hands and they have rings on their fingers" the man stated trying to get the pair out of Tiffany's radar.

"Whatever"

"Right this way" the older man said before leading the pair to a large sleigh that was red with fresh pine wreaths around the top.

"Go on in" the older man said before he jumped on up in the front and waited for both to be loaded in and the blanket laying on their laps, for the next twenty minutes Lex and Clark were shown the countryside that was covered in snow making it a winter wonderland like a song stated.

"This is great" Clark said quietly to Lex trying not to break the peacefulness that was surrounding them.

"That it is" Lex said kissing Clark in response before they pulled up to the booth to unload.

"That will be thirty five dollars" the girl said still eyeing the pair for her chances with them.

"Come again" the girl said once Lex paid and then they started to make their way back the B&B for lunch. Clark was hoping not to see the McBride family, but they were not in luck for as soon as they entered the small restaurant the B&B held the McBride's were right behind them.

"How many" a tall man asked Clark and Lex.

"Two"

"No, make that six" a voice behind them said.

"No, it will be two" Lex said steel in his voice that told the man that if he didn't listen he may be out of a job.

"Don't listen to him, we are going to have a family lunch" Jessica McBride said.

"Yes we are, but you are not a part of that" Lex said making a gesture for the man to show them their table for two.

"Shall we?" the man said as he grabbed the two menus and began to walk away, with the four McBride members starting to follow.

"If you will wait at the podium" the man said before taking Lex and Clark back to their table. The four McBride's stood for a moment before making their way back to the appointed area to wait for their table, which they figured the man would put them close to the pair so they didn't have to worry too much about location.

"I am truly sorry" the man said while seating the pair.

"It's all right" Clark said before sitting and then looking over the menu for something to eat.

"If you can make sure to get them as far away as possible, we would appreciate it" Lex said before he too began to look over the menu.

"Not to worry and your server for today will be Emmett" both Clark and Lex nodded their heads and waited for Emmett to arrive.

"Welcome to Cordon Blu, my name is Emmett and I will be your server for today. What would you like to start off with to drink?" Emmett said looking at the pair and licking his lips. When he looked a bit closer at Lex, his eyes widen with recognition on who Lex was.

"I think I will have a bottle of Gleneagles" Lex said not looking up at the server while he spoke. If he would have looked up he would have seen the confused look on his face, Clark on the other hand had seen it and was now trying hard to not laugh at the young man since it had taken a while to get used to Lex's request for only the best.

"We don't carry that here" Emmett said hoping that he could bluff about what Lex had just requested.

"Well how about Ty Nant" Lex said now looking up and making eyes contact that left Emmett with his pants being too tight now.

"No"

"What do you carry then? Evian, like that is good quality water….." Lex said with a sneer on his face that did nothing to solve Emmett's problem of his pants being too tight.

"Perrier" Clark said while pointing to Lex.

"And I'll have a coke with a cup of water as well" Emmett could only nod his head before leaving for the kitchen very slowly.

"What kind of four star bed and breakfast is this if they don't have Ty Nant at least?" Clark could only laugh at Lex, since he knew how snotty people could get over their water. It seemed that Lex was especially picky, for he had not heard of Gleneagles even in his time as a McBride.

"Lex it is water, you drink my water just fine" Clark said a smile on his face at the look Lex was giving him.

"Well, that is different"

"How"

"I know where that water is coming from, but here I do not and I will not drink something I don't know where it is coming from" Lex said showing how uppity he could get over things.

"I got it" Clark said before going back to checking out the menu, and a moment later Emmett arrived with a bottle of Perrier for Lex and a cup of coke and a cup of water for Clark.

"Take that water back and give him Perrier" Lex said pulling the glass out of Clark's hand and giving it back to Emmett.

"Right away sir" Emmett said still trying to get over the fact that he was serving Lex Luthor and what looked to be a friend or something to him due to the close contact they were in at the table.

"Hey now" Clark said with a blush when Lex's hand began to roam up towards him groin area. Lex's response was to smirk and continue on like nothing was wrong with what he was doing.

"Here you are" Emmett said placing the water next to Clark and then looking at both to see if there were ready to order.

"Would you like to order, or would you like some more time?"

"I think we are ready" Lex said before he placed his and Clark's order. As both waited for their food to arrive they were drawn out of the marital bliss by a female voice calling their name.

"There you are" Jessica said with her waiter following behind her.

"Yes here we are" Lex said eyeing the woman and wondering if she was going to try and sit with them.

"Alvin, please bring the rest of my family here and set us up" Jessica said in a voice that spoke of authority.

"No, I don't think you will" Lex said now angry that the matriarch of the McBride family was trying to worm her way back into Clark's life.

"Psssh" Jessica said waving her hand as if she had control over Lex.

"I think I need to speak with her alone, I will be right back" Lex whispered into Clark's ear before standing and then dragging the woman away from their table.

"What is this?"

"Listen and listen well, because I don't take kindly to people who do not heed my warning. You and that dysfunction of a family are to leave myself, Clark and our children alone. If you do not heed this warning, I will be forced to take measures that will ensure the safety of not only my self but of my family and Clark's family, which you are not a part of. Do you understand me?" Lex said this all to the woman with a look that told a person that not heeding the warning that there would be hell to pay for the actions that they had done. Jessica could only shake her head as if not believing that Lex was doing this to her, a McBride.

"Oh, you don't think me capable of ruining you and that family you have? Just try me" Lex said before turning and walking away from her to sit with his husband.

"So?" Clark asked curious as to how it went.

"She will soon find out why a Luthor is not be crossed" Lex said and then kissing Clark trying to calm him self down for the meeting just moments ago.

"Lunch" Emmett said arriving to the table with what both had ordered, or in the case of Clark what Lex had ordered for him. They spent the time at the restaurant eating and bonding over their food.

"Shall we retire to our suite?" Lex asked with a leer on his face that told Clark that there wasn't any other answer besides yes.

"We shall" Clark said grabbing Lex's hand and guiding them towards their room. The next few days at the bed and breakfast passed with little to no contact from the McBride's and was spent with plenty of time in the bed that was in the suite. It was now the last day of the honeymoon before they were to return to Smallville and everyday life and it was also then that the McBride's made one last appearance to the pair.

"Clark" Scott, Sr. called out. He couldn't wait to break this news to Clark, for he was ready to bring his youngest son down a peg or two.

"Mr. McBride" Clark said while tightly his hold of Lex's hand.

"It will be father from now on" Scott, Sr. said before passing the news paper to him so that he could read the headlines. For there on the front page of the Daily Planet was Clark and Lex side by side in two different pictures and the words "LUTHOR MARRIES YOUNGEST MCBRIDE IN SECRET CEREMONY". Clark just looked to Lex to see his reaction and what he saw made him almost feel sorry for what would happen to the man in front of him.

"Ah, so word got out about our marriage, I think we shall have to have an interview" Lex said thinking about how he could spin this to make the others look like complete and utter fools.

"Don't think so" Scott, Sr. said going over to the pair and trying to break them apart.

"McBride, what are trying to do?" Lex angry that this man thought he would make Lex bow to his demands.

"Taking this whore of a son home and teach him a lesson"

"Oh, I don't think so" Lex said before he stood between Clark and his ex-father.

"You will listen to me or your father just might find out some less than desirable information" Scott, Sr. said thinking he had the upper hand.

"Oh, how wrong you are" Lex said before he took Clark's hand once again and walked away. Scott, Sr. was stunned for a moment by the action before be was in motion again.

"Release him"

"No" Lex said simply before he and Clark disappeared into the car that was waiting for the pair to return home.

"That bastard of a son will pay" Scott, Sr. said before going over to his wife and planning their next move. The drive from Manhattan to Smallville was made with Lex comforting his husband and deciding how he wanted to proceed with the headline of the Daily Planet.

"It will be okay, right?" Clark said for the fifth time so far.

"That it will, and we will have our happily ever after I promise you that" Lex said even now more determined due to seeing what they had reduced his confident husband to the insecure teen that he had made love to when they first met. When they arrived to the main Kent house, they were met by Martha, Jonathan the twins, Chloe and Martin and of course James all standing outside with concern on their faces.

"They will pay" was all Lex needed to say before the family made their way into the house to plan out what they would do in response. Clark on the other hand was playing with his children feeling much calmer now that he could see that they were all right and were still with his parents. He had worried the whole time that the McBride's were working on taking his children away from them; it seems they didn't get that far yet. Once everyone knew what they were to do, they made their way back to either Metropolis or to their home in Smallville.

"Clark" Lex called out hoping that Clark was okay since he seemed shaken by the headline in the paper.

"In here" Clark called out in a small room near the kitchen that the twins just loved to play in since it reminded them of Harry Potter.

"You okay?"

"I will be" Clark said before making his way out of the small room and towards Lex so that he could feel his comfort.

"Let's get home" Lex said guiding the three towards Clark's house where the snow covered the walk and some of the porch. Once they arrived in the house Arianna began to question Clark and Lex about why they had gone away and why could they not come. Lex had answered most of the questions since it seemed that he had more control of Arianna then Clark did. A few hours later had the now family of four sitting in the living room watching TV.

"Clark" Lex whispered into his husband's ear while trying not to wake the twins from their nap they seemed to be taking.

"Yeah" Clark said in a whisper as well.

"Love you" Lex said before kissing Clark on the lips and then pulling back. Lex still couldn't believe that something as amazing has having a family would be so rewarding for him. He had always feared that he would turn out like his father, moving from one woman's bed to the other with no satisfaction in his life. Now, Lex couldn't even think he would be able to continue on if one of the twins or Clark died or were seriously hurt.

"Stop thinking" Clark said before smiling at him and standing up slowly to take Zaiden in his room for his nap. Once Lex saw what was going on he made to follow Clark up the stairs and to their rooms.

"Come here" Lex said grabbing Clark's shirt and pulling him toward Lex's lean frame. Clark whimpered as Lex attacked Clark's lips with a passion that Clark knew would leave him with his whole body being sore for the next day or two.

"Lex" Clark said between the break that Lex had taken on the attack of his lips.

"Hmmm" was Lex's answer as he nuzzled Clark's neck while biting the area under his ear.

"Please" Clark said not really knowing what he was asking for.

"Please what Clark, you have to tell me what you want" Lex said with a smirk on his lips that Clark could feel.

"I don't really care, but you better not stop" Clark said now dragging Lex to his, now their room. Once the door had closed Clark and Lex worked hard on getting the other naked as fast as possible.

"Lex" Clark moaned out once they were skin to skin. The moment of passion was interrupted by a phone ringing in the house.

"I'll get it" Clark said before picking up and saying hello. Lex watched as Clark's face began to frown and changed to anger.

"What's going on?" Lex said while kissing Clark shoulder while he was on the phone.

"McBride's" Clark mouthed to Lex, which had Lex pulling the phone from Clark's hand and then speaking.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Lex said his voice making the person on the other side want to run in fear.

"My name is Samantha Goshen and I was just letting Mr. Kent that he is to appear in court next week Thursday at 10:45 AM, here at the Metropolis court building."

"What is the reason why Clark has to be at the Metropolis court building, next week Thursday?"

"A petition has been….I must first get clearance from Mr. Kent that you are able to hear this."

"Clark" Lex said handing the phone back to Clark and then telling him what he needed to do.

"I give Lex Luthor, my husband, permission to hear any and all legal proceedings and dealings." Clark said making sure to state Lex's name since they would try and get the case thrown out over something like that.

"Okay" the woman said speechless that what was in the Daily Planet was correct.

"Okay, so why is he being summoned?"

"A petition was filed by the McBride's to regain custody of Clark, and it was decided that a hearing should take place to determine if the petition will be granted or not." Samantha said while wondering what was really going on with the fight that seemed to be going on over one person.

"We shall be there" Lex said before hanging up the phone and pulling his husband, who had been quietly crying, into his arms. Over the next week the Kents and Lex worked on the hearing that everyone in the room knew was just a power play from the McBride's who had hit hard times in the recent past. It seemed that the McBride children had taken it upon themselves to spend more money than the family had at that time, so they had now taken a second mortgage out on their three million dollar home, as well as downgrading all of the cars in the house. The McBride children had been livid when they found that their endless supply of money was pretty much gone. The patriarch and matriarch of the family had not figured that their oldest two children would not marry off into wealthy families, so that the burden of the pair would be on someone else's shoulders. Now it seemed that the only way they would get their lifestyle back was to either a) have the pair marry into a wealthy family or b) make a play at the youngest child for the money that he was sure to have being married to Lex Luthor.


	22. Act XXII:  The Trial

Act XXII: The Trial

"Lex" Clark said with a small smile on his face, he had every confidence that Lex would get him out of this. He could only hope that the McBride's didn't do something to prove a point and make not only the Kent's look bad but the Luthor's as well.

"Love you" Lex said before going back to working with the attorney that Lex had gotten right after he had comforted his husband to the point that he fell asleep in Lex's arms.

"I say we are ready" the attorney said before standing and shaking each of the people's hands before leaving and making their back to Metropolis.

"You ready" Lex said coming over to where Clark stood watching from the kitchen doorway since the twins were in the living room watching TV.

"As I'll ever be" Clark said before leaning in and speaking again.

"I want you in me now" Clark said hoping that Lex would allow this. Lex had been adamant about not making love while under stress, but Clark wasn't really sure how much more he could take without Lex being in him and over him.

"Tonight" Lex whispered before going off to find Martha to ask if they would take the twins for tonight. The rest of the short afternoon was spent with Lex and Clark playing with their children and having dinner with the Kents.

"Now you two be good for us, with Grandpa and Gram" Clark said kneeling next to Arianna and Zaiden at the same time making sure that they understood that they needed to be on their best behaviors.

"Okay" both said before giving Clark a kiss and a goodnight and then doing the same for Lex. Once both made sure the twins were safe, they made their way back into Clark's house and to the bedroom without talking.

"Clark" Lex said once the door was closed before pouncing on his husband. It had been too long since he had been in his husband and he didn't think he could ever do something like hold out on him again. It had been for a good reason at the start but now he just wanted to be pounding into Clark's body and forgetting all about the McBride's and the trial that he was certain that they would win. For the rest of the night was filled with gasps and moans as the two made love slowly trying to savor each time making it seem as if this would be the last time that it would happen. The next morning dawned bright and sunny, which didn't reflect the mood of the three Kent households that knew of the trial today.

"Love, it's time to get up" Lex said while kissing Clark on the hickey that he had given his husband last night. Lex had always like to mark what was his and Clark was no exception to this, the last hickey that Lex had given him had faded due to Lex not making love to Clark.

"Hmm" Clark said as he felt Lex start to worship his body once again. Lex only watched Clark as he woke up a bit more as he got closer to his cock.

"Lex" Clark said once Lex wrapped his lips around his cock making him even harder than he had been before. The lips soon left the cock and made their way back up to Clark's lips.

"Morning" Lex said kissing Clark, letting Clark taste himself in Lex's mouth.

"We need to get ready" Lex said before making his way to the bathroom where he knew Clark would be soon after he realized that Lex was gone.

"Trying to leave me?" Clark said as he stepped into the already warm and running shower.

"No just trying to get you out of that bed" Lex said before pushing Clark against a wall and working his fingers in Clark's hole seeing how loose he was from last night.

"Hard and fast" Lex whispered but was stopped by Clark.

"No condom?" Clark questioned wanting to know if Lex really wanted to go bareback if there was a great chance of Clark getting pregnant again. Lex pulled back and looked into Clark's eyes wondering what his husband was thinking.

"What do you want?" Lex asked not really sure if he was ready for another child quite yet. He would love the child no matter what but if it could be prevented they may just have to hold off on children once the McBride's were taken of.

"I would love to have us go bareback but with the chance of a child and the thought that the McBride's could win, I think we should hold off on another child." Clark said hoping that Lex would be okay with his response.

"I think you are right" Lex said kissing Clark's shoulder before taking it and turning Clark around for a kiss.

"Love you" Clark said before he dropped to his knees to help relieve his husband.

"How do you do that?" Lex said after he had caught his breath once Clark had finished his blow job. He had never had one quite like the ones that Clark gave and he had to wonder where he learned that type of thing. Lex just couldn't see Clark at some club or bar picking up guys to give head on, so it made him wonder how Clark did it and so well.

"Guessing" Clark said a smile on his face since he was always happy to please his husband.

"Well, let's get going, don't want to be late" Lex said turning off the water and then grabbing a towel for the both of them. An hour later had the pair at the main Kent house coming to collect the rest of the family for the helicopter ride to Metropolis.

"Plane, plane" Zaiden said while pointing at the helicopter that the rotors had just started to spin on.

"Come on, Martin and James will meet us at the airport" Lex said guiding the family into the helicopter and then taking his seat next to Clark in the machine. Fifteen minutes later the helicopter touched down and two males could be seen making their way carefully to the helicopter while the propellers began to slow down and then stop.

"Ready" James said to the group before getting nods from all in the party.

"Then right this way" Martin said pointing to the now open door. The group, now two members larger, made their way quickly and quietly to the court house and room trying to avoid the press that everyone knew would be there.

"All rise the Honorable Judge Rothwood presiding" the bailiff said making all in the room stand before being told be seated.

"I have looked over the case and seem to be a bit confused on why this is even an issue" the judge said looking to the plaintiff's attorney for an answer.

"Judge, it is the plaintiff's belief that the emancipation was done in error and would like to rectify the problem as soon as possible" the attorney said before looking at Clark and his attorney with a sneer on his face.

"Why now? They have had years to protest" the judge said already seeing what the plaintiff was trying to do. He knew of the hard times that the McBride's had been having and then to have found out that the youngest child which they emancipated was now married to a Luthor and a billionaire, he could see that this was just ploy to get money from the family by stating that Clark was their child and so deserved full rights to money that Clark may have access to by being Lex's husband.

"Well, then shall we begin?" the judge said waiting for the McBride's attorney to stand back up and start his opening remarks.

"We are here today to correct a wrong that should have never happened, but due to circumstances that occurred, did occur. Scott and Jessica McBride are upstanding citizens in this great city, with three beautiful children and with stable jobs. It is with great sorrow that I tell you that one of their three children had been emancipated years ago on accident. It is now their wish years later, to try and mend the broken family that shouldn't have ever been broken in the first place." The attorney said before looking at the judge and then sitting down. Once the plaintiff's attorney was done, Clark's attorney stood up and made his way in front of the judge.

"Three years ago a child was broken from his home because he was different than what his family had expected from him. No child should be thrown away by their family and yet he was, by the parents emancipating him and making him an adult with no where to go and no way to take care of himself and his soon to be children. Now four years later, the child is now a man with two beautiful and amazing children and happens to be married to one of the wealthiest men in the world and now they want him back in the family. We plan to show that the only reason why we are here today is because the defendant is married to someone who meets the plaintiff's requirements for high society." The attorney said before nodding his head and sitting down next to Clark waiting for the judge to move things along.

"Huet" the judge said indicating that the man could begin the next part.

"I would like to call to the stand Jessica McBride" after the words were spoken Jessica McBride stood up from behind the plaintiff's table and made her way to the small boxed in area next the judge. She was sworn in and then the questions began.

"Mrs. McBride, how would you describe the situation that this trial is about?"

"A tragedy" Jessica said with a sad face while looking to Clark as if to show that she cared. Clark just sat there and tried not to roll his eyes.

"Mrs. McBride please explain to those present what happened four years ago"

"Well, it started out with Clark's telling us he was pregnant" Jessica said before taking a drink of water and then continuing.

"At first we were shocked and amazed that something like this could happen. Our family had never heard of something like this, but when Clark came home and broke the news we were shocked and of course hurt that our child was growing up so fast."

"And what did you do after that?"

"Well, we decided that it may have been best if Clark wasn't in the house since we didn't want Jessie or Scott to think that we approved of this sort of behavior."

"And the emancipation papers?" the attorney said leading her down his list of questions making sure that the judge was intent on what was being said.

"Well, that is the thing we never signed any emancipation papers, if we did then it had to have been a stack of papers that would need to be signed."

"So, you think this is just all a big misunderstanding"

"I do, we never planned on making Clark leave the family"

"And why the delay in trying to rectify the situation?"

"Well, we couldn't find anything on file so we had to do a manual search around the city and other cities and we just happen to run into Clark at a holiday party last December which helped to locate him for us, after that it was just a matter of filing the paperwork and hoping that he would be back with us soon" Jessica with a tear in her eyes, making Clark laugh behind his hand.

"No further questions" the attorney said before smiling a bit at Jessica and taking a seat. Clark's attorney stood and made his way to the podium that they were to stand at while speaking.

"So, this is just all a big misunderstanding?" the attorney started out wanting to make sure that Jessica dug a hole that she wouldn't be able to get out of.

"Yes"

"So, the emancipation papers were placed in a pile of papers for you and your husband sign, since both signatures are on it?"

"It must have been, because I don't ever remember signing something like that"

"So, are you saying that Clark did this?"

"I'm not saying that"

"But you must since you said you didn't do it, did maybe one of your other children do it? Scott, Jessie"

"Objection"

"Overruled, I would like to know this answer" the judge said interested on how she would get out of this one.

"They would never do that"

"Your husband?"

"No! We all love Clark very much"

"So, if it isn't Clark and it isn't anyone else in your family is it the staff that works in your home?"

"Objection"

"Overruled"

"It could have been" Jessica said really not knowing how to answer.

"Did you never notice that Clark was gone?"

"Well, he never spent a lot of time outside of his room when he was home and if he was out he would stay at a friend from his 4 H club."

"That still doesn't explain why you waited four years before filing a petition for breaking the emancipation. Clark is legally an adult now"

"I know that, and the reason why we waited was because we couldn't find him"

"So, it was just mere accident that you saw your ex-son at a holiday party with Lex Luthor on his arm?"

"Yes, it was a holiday party for LuthorCorp"

"And did you speak to him then?"

"We did but he was defensive with us"

"Did you wonder why?"

"Of course we did"

"Did you try and make contact again?"

"No, but then we saw them in Manhattan and decided that maybe we should try harder"

"So, this is harder? Did you ever think that maybe Clark didn't want to be part of your family now after so long?"

"Objection"

"Sustained, counselor move along" the attorney nodded and then finished up his questioning of Jessica McBride. The rest of the day was spent with a witness taking the stand and then getting ping pong-ed question from each attorney.

"Let's take a ten minute recess and then I shall give you may decision" the judge said before leaving the room and making his way to his chambers where he was met by a large basket of goodies that he liked. As he read the card, he knew who they where from which made his decision all the more concrete.

"Lex" Clark said standing and reaching for his husband while the twins played with Martha and Jonathan.

"Things will be fine I promise" Lex said before glaring at the person standing in front of the desk with a smirk on their face.

"Soon baby brother, soon" was all that Scott, Jr. said before walking off making Clark scared of what was to come if they lost.

"Don't worry" Lex said before kissing Clark on the lips and then letting go since the judge had arrived back a bit early.


	23. Act XXIII:  The Verdict and Conclusion

**Act XXIII: The Verdict and Conclusion**

"All right people, I have heard two totally different stories today and it made me wonder what the world is coming to, if parents care so little about their children. I can understand the pain of losing a child since I have lost one and it was for good, I will never be given a chance to reconnect with them, but on the other hand it is hard to believe that it took someone four years to find their child and only on accident." The judge paused to take a breath and noticed that the McBride family looked extremely smug about something which made the judge much happier in knowing that they would soon be knocked down a peg or two.

"But I also know that given reasons on why you couldn't find your child leads one to believe that you didn't look in the first place, so in saying that I deny permission to dissolve the emancipation papers on one Clark Luthor nee Kent." With that being said the judge stood nodded to Clark and the people behind him and made his way back out of the court room.

"How could this happen?" the Kent and Luthor family heard as they hugged each other and celebrated their win.

"This isn't right" met the ears of the group again before they made their way out of the door and towards their car so that they could go home and celebrate. They didn't make it too far out of the court building before they were stopped by the McBride family once again.

"Clark" Scott, Jr. called out hoping that the group would stop.

"What do you want?" Clark said with one of the twins on his hip.

"You don't deserve this, I do" Scott, Jr. said before making his way towards where Lex stood talking to Martin and James about some investments that they wanted to try.

"Luthor" Scott, Jr. called out to Lex, making him stop his conversion with the pair.

"What?"

"Why him?"

"Why your brother?" Lex asked hoping that he was seriously was not hearing the question correctly.

"Yeah, why him I mean he is a total loser and he likes to farm. How much fun is that?"

"Clark is a beautiful and amazing man that I am proud to call my husband and bearer of my children" Lex said his tone hinting that if Scott pushed this too much further he was going to have some issues.

"How can you say something like that? I should be in Clark's position, it was me you were to fall in love with" Scott, Jr. said trying to make Lex change his mind about being in love with Clark.

"No, it shouldn't have because you are a spoiled rich boy that doesn't understand that just because you are rich doesn't mean you get what you want. You have to earn your keep and if you ever expected me to fall at your feet when all you can do is talk about yourself, you are sadly mistaken. Love encompasses all facets of life and you seem to live in a world that revolves around you and that is something that I will not tolerate." Lex said his eyes showing that he was serious about the words that he'd spoken. Scott took a step back and then noticed how tight knit the group was that was standing before him. He could see the love they each shared with each other. Whether it be brotherly love, motherly and fatherly or even life partner love; he saw how much they cared about everyone in the group and not just about themselves which seemed to be the McBride motto for living.

"I'm sorry" Scott, Jr. said before taking another step back and then making his way over to where his parents stood fighting with the attorney.

"What do you think he is doing?"

"I think he has finally realized that life is bigger than Metropolis or them, so I hope he is over there telling them to stop the appeal that they are no doubt arguing about now." Lex said as he stood next to Clark with Arianna on his hip now. A short time later had Scott, Jr. dragging his parents and sister out of the court house speaking rapidly about something.

"Let's go home" Lex said as he turned around and started to make his way out of the court room and building with Arianna on his hip.

"Mr. Luthor can you tell us…"

"Mr. Luthor is it true….."

"Mr. Luthor is that your child?" where questions that were shot at Lex and the group as they made their way down the court building steps to the waiting car to take them to the airport so that they could return to Smallville. None in the group spoke while they made their way to the car and before entering. Once they had all made it in the car and began to drive to the airport talking about what sort of celebration they wanted to have. Lex sat and listened to the Kents, all four of them ramble on about how they wanted to celebrate.

"How do you want to celebrate?" Lex asked Clark, now that the petition had been denied he was now thinking of more children for the house. The house did after all have five bedrooms and the kids could always share until they could do a remodel on the house.

"You, me and a bed" Clark said with a smile on his face, hoping that they were thinking the same thing.

"Bareback now?" Lex whispered quietly into Clark's ear so that none of the others could hear not even the twins who where in their laps. Clark looked at Lex sharply seeing if the other man was joking or not.

"Are you sure?" Clark said before he started to rub his stomach at the thought of another child in their lives. He knew his parents would love more grandchildren; he just wasn't sure what his husband wanted.

"I want you barefoot and pregnant for the next few years" Lex said by way of showing that he was very happy at the idea of having more children.

"How many?" Clark said wondering if Lex had a number in mind.

"I don't know, but I don't want any of our children alone and unhappy like I was" Lex said before Clark took one of his hands in his.

"Well, then it sounds like we have our work cut out for us. The house might need some changes" Clark said already liking the idea of another child in the house, the twins were his first born, but they were now getting to the point that they didn't need him like a baby needed him and he missed the being needed by a child.

"Well, I guess we need another night alone" Lex said kissing Clark slowly with all the love and passion he could put into it.

"I think we might" Clark said wanting to get home right away so that they could get down to business.

"Martha, could you keep the twins another night?" Lex said watching as his husband's face became a deep shade of red from Lex's question.

"Of course" Martha said a knowing look on her face, for she knew that there would be news of a new baby soon. The group then made their way to the Kent household Metropolis.

"Are you sure we can leave the twins here with you?" Lex asked Martha while the pair in question played with the dog that was wagging its tail at the twins.

"Yes you may, I think Jonathan and I are going to stay here tonight" Martha said trying to give the two of them more time alone to celebrate in their own way, which she hoped that a baby would come out of. Lex nodded his head before going over and saying goodbye to the twins and then making his way over to where his husband stood near the door after saying goodbye to the twins as well. Martha watched as the pair left and had to thank the gods above that a rare condition had brought Clark into their lives, for she couldn't think what their lives would have been like without Clark for the four years that they had him with them. Martha also had to wonder what would have happened had Lex fell in love before he met up with Clark and the twins, but she didn't worry too badly since her son was now with the father of his children and the love of his life, for she knew that Clark and Lex were soul mates that would always be together in the end in each life that they were in. The only thing that Martha wondered was how long before the next child would be due and it was with that thought that Martha made her way towards where the twins played watching them with a smile on her face.

~Finis…..or is it?~


End file.
